The Secret of Hell Water
by Raya
Summary: post PotC: I've done my absolute best to keep Jack in character! Jack Sparrow sets off on a new adventure filled with excitement, danger, rum, and unexpected romance! This is NOT a Mary-Sue! JackOC and WE- THE END!
1. The Flaming Gull

Pirates of the Caribbean – The Secret of Hell Water

** Author note** Ahoy mateys!  I'd like to warn ye that this story is entirely a work of fiction thought up by me after seeing the movie three times.  I love it and haven't been able to get the idea of a fic out of my head.  And seeing as it's already been over a week and a half since the movie opened and I'm STILL thinking about it, I figure I'd better write something down before I drive myself nuts.   I have no idea if it's any good and I have no idea if I'll finish it (but I would like to).  But that does depend on your feedback.  If people seem to like the story it will keep me writing it! This is a story about Jack Sparrow and it takes place a few years after the movies ending point.  I think of it as another adventure in the colorful life of this buccaneer we've all grown so fond of.  It'll have an element of magic and mystery like that of the movie, but with a different sort of twist.  I'm trying my best to keep Jack as in character as possible in this fic.  He's a hard one to pin though because he's so unpredictable. Anyways, the genre is adventure and romance.  It's currently rated PG-13 but may go up to R if I feel so inclined. (Jack is quite the colorful character after all!) Will Turner and Elizabeth will probably show up in later chapters too, because I love them too much to write them out of the story.) 

Chapter 1- The Flaming Gull

The night was dark, but far from stormy in the small port town of North Harbor.  The ships sat quietly in the harbors ocean inlet and barely a cloud was in the sky to obscure the light of the pale moon.  Its reflection sparkled on the glassy surface of the water, a faint breeze stirred, and that was the only relief given from the stifling heat of the hot mid-summer night.  The people in the town below forgot their exhaustion from their daytime work down at the bars and taverns beside the docks.  It was one seedy tavern however, where most of the night's ruckus was emanating.  The sign above the door of this tavern read "The Flaming Gull."  And above those red letters was a fair representation of a gull with a smoking pistol crossed with a sword in relief behind it.

  Inside the bar was all manner of drunken sailors and scallywags.  And there were more than a few flustered barmaids that scurried from one end of the common room to the other doing their best to keep food and drink from spilling off their trays as the rowdy men threw jaunty remarks at them punctuated with generous slaps on the behind.  The sounds of their drunken wolf whistles sent the young women scurrying into the kitchen with bright red faces.

 A pretty barmaid with golden hair twisted into a braid which fell thick down the length of her back leaned over a small corner table where four scruffy looking seamen had just taken their seats.  She wiped it hastily clean of its last visitor.  She was petite, well curved, with a tight bodice that displayed a generous amount of cleavage (as was the style).  Her clothing was ordinary and unadorned; her top skirt was pinned up at one side to display an off-white petticoat, which was stained with wine, ale, rum, tobacco, vomit, and everything else to be found in a tavern of this character. 

"What'll you have?" She said low and roughly, her tone contrasted with her voice, which naturally seemed high and musical.

"Rum for the four of us, if ye please." Said a tall dark haired main with a mouthful of glittering gold and silver teeth.  The coal smudged on his lower eyelids lent intensity to his dark brown eyes that made it difficult for any man (or woman) to look away.  His handsomely chiseled face was framed with high, sharp cheekbones.  He had a dirty red scarf wrapped around his forehead that had seen better days.  His hair was a messy assortment of braids and dreadlocks, decorated with all manner of strange odds and ends, from coins and medallions dangling from braided or beaded ends, to a long sliver of bone that was entwined in a small ponytail that fell down the right side of his head free of the bandana. He had a swaggering, wild and unusual look about him that made people glance twice, as if they were not sure if he was real or imagination.

His comrades joined in agreement of his order and slapped their open palms on the table with hearty shouts of "Aye! Rum! Aye!"

She nodded and hastily went to fill their order.  The man with the metallic smile followed her with his eyes.  She seemed to have a tough time getting past some drunken louts, one of which wrapped a burly arm around her waist and almost managed to get her to sit on his knee before she extricated herself and staggered back to the kitchen.

"There be a fine wench, if ever I saw one." Said one of the scruffy sailors after the Barmaid left.  He sat beside the tall dark haired man.  He had a short kerchief tied around his neck, and a round face and thinning gray hair.

"Aye, Mr. Gibbs…. " Said the tall, handsome man with the metallic smile.  He turned his dark brown eyes from the girl to his comrades.  "Did you notice how she staggers about? I noticed as soon as I set foot in here. She's a woman that's not used to walking on dry land."

" That wench… I've heard tales of her, aye." Said another one of his comrades. 

"You have? Tell us Duncan!" Gibbs and the fourth fellow spoke in near unison.  Jack leaned in to listen over the drunken ruckus that came from the table adjacent to them.

"I heard tell from me matey, Johnson, who was ashore the day they found her.  It was about two months ago I s'pose.  She had ne'er a shred of decent clothing about her when they found her wandering the docks, wrapped in a torn up old sail, she said she didn't know where she came from… that she didn't remember.  She said 'er name was Emma, and not knowing what to do wi' her, the Port Governor set her up to live 'ere, Ol' Tom Need took her in, and she lives and works as a Bar Wench for him 'ere at "The Flaming Gull."

"Tom Need?" Said Mr. Gibbs, and snorted.  "The man's not the sort to be taking in strays out of charity! I feel sorry for the girl!"

"The man probably runs her ragged." Said the forth man.

"Aye Crimp. I do agree with ye."  Duncan nodded. " But it's not our place to be criticisizin' now! Seeing as we're all men o' –how should I put it—'dishonorable character!'"   They all had a hearty laugh at this, and were glad to see that Emma had finally brought them their drinks.  She sloshed the full glasses of Rum on the table and quickly took off again with a tray full of ale for another table.  But she didn't go more than a few steps before one of the drunks nearby gave her a terrific slap on the bum and sent her and her tray sprawling across the floor.  Ale spilled everywhere and the men laughed uproariously.  

Emma did her best to be nonchalant as she collected her tray and the empty mugs. She ignored the vulgar remarks that were flying across the room at her.  She had grown used to that.  What she wasn't expecting however was a large hand clamping down on her shoulder.  She whirled around to see the dark haired man with the red bandana and beaded hair looking down at her with a hint of concern in his eyes.

" You know… you're really not cut out for this barmaid stuff… I can tell." He said conversationally as he helped her to stand up.  She looked up at him dumbstruck.  No scallywag had ever offered even a kind word towards her since she came to live at North Harbor. This man was the first.  "Next time a man tries to slap you on the arse, I'd give him a good punch in the nose.  That'll sober him up quick. And he's getting' no less than he deserves." 

"Th-Thank you very much." She stammered, trying hard not to stare. Then frowned slightly.  "But I can take care of myself… I don't need any advice!"

"Aye, sure ye don't, to be sure." He gave her a crooked smile and then turned back to his comrades who were all watching him with knowing grins on their faces.

She couldn't tell if his last comment was meant as sarcasm or not, but decided it wasn't important.  Without another glance, she went off to the kitchens; with the picture of his smile in her head and thinking to herself that he was quite nice looking despite the crazy glint in his eyes.

She went back to refill her mugs, when another one of the barmaids quickly brushed next to her, waiting her turn for the tap.

"Emma, don't be getting too familiar with that black pirate now!" She said hastily, for they were not supposed to talk during working hours.

"Pirate!" Said Emma quickly, "Him with the red handkerchief and the jewelry in his hair? He can't be!"

"He is! And not just any pirate… He's Captain Jack Sparrow!"

Emma almost dropped her tray in surprise at the name.  She'd heard it mentioned many times since her arrival at North Harbor, and always with a backward glance.  "Are you sure?"

"I am!" Her friend moved over to the tap to fill her empty mugs. 

Emma glanced about quickly to make sure there was no sign of Tom, and hastily whispered, "I thought he was banned from these shores."

" All pirates are, to be sure!" She said. " And they'll stay clear unless they come in with canon's all afire! They want to keep their necks!  But not Jack Sparrow, he bribes the port captain annually to put up anchor in the bay once every four months for his business venture."

"Business?"

"Smuggling, of course!"

"Oh…"

 " And I wouldn't cross him for all the gold in the kings treasury!  The only reason he hasn't plundered this town is because of the smuggling operation, which runs out of here every summer.   He needs it to get the guns and weaponry needed for his black-hearted pillaging of the other coasts and ships! Why… they say that he took the fastest ship in the Caribbean, 'The Black Pearl,' out of the hands of the devil himself! He's commandeered ships without needing to fire so much as a single shot… why- they say he tamed the creatures of the wild sea, to ride their backs while he was marooned on a deserted island 15 years ago!"

Emma look of amazement turned to one of skepticism as her friend named off Captain Jack Sparrow's unbelievable feats.  But there was one thing that was for certain; he was THE Captain Jack Sparrow… a pirate… and JUST the invincible, indestructible person she had been searching for!

"HEY!" Came a yell from an adjacent room that sent the two girls running. "NO CHATTER! BACK TO WORK OR IT'LL BE TAKEN OUT OF YER PAY!" A short man with a red nose and an unruly head of gray hair burst from the money room, spittle flying from his mouth.  His big, meaty hands were drawn into fists and he pounded on the table to make his point.

Emma wasted no time in getting back to work, and at the same time, putting herself front and center of Jack Sparrows view.  She gave them drinks on the house (out of her own purse, for Tom Need would never give anything for free).  She worked tirelessly, not giving Tom any reason to harangue her.  And by the time he'd retired and her shift had ended, Jack and his friends were pretty well sauced.  Her work had ended for the night, like the other barmaids, and many joined in with the festivities, drinking and dancing and singing. She sat down at Jack's table and was greeted warmly by the drunken pirates.  Jack and his friends had started a rousing song of "Yo Ho A Pirates Life for Me!" and they sang at the top of their lungs, pounding on the tabletop and stamping their boots to the rhythm.

"I love that song!" She said raucously as it ended. She took a long swig of ale and slammed the mug on the counter.  " You all are pirates, aren't you?" 

"Aye!! But you'd best be forgetting that by the morning if ye know what's good for ye!" Said the mates, and they all laughed and pounded their mugs on the table. 

" What's the best part of being a pirate?" She asked.

" Why, there's no best part!" said Jack Sparrow.  He jumped on her question and she hung onto his every word.  It occurred to her, that to the other men at the table she must look like some lovesick little strumpet.  But in her alcoholic giddiness, she didn't much care.  She focused her attention back on Jack's intense charcoal gaze as he spread his hands out and swung his arms in a wide arc. " It's ALL of it! It's freedom, adventure, doing what you want, with no rules or expectations upon you except by those you choose to live by! It's the life aboard The Black Pearl!"

To this, there was a chorus of "AYE ME HEARTY! TO THE PEARL!" and they clanged their mugs together, ale spilled onto the table and they all had a hearty drink. 

" I would like to be a pirate!" Emma said loudly.  And they all choked on their ale, and roared with laughter. 

" You may be a pretty thing indeed, and I've no doubt you're great in the sack." Said Jack Sparrow, swaying slightly with his crooked smile that made Emma's heart beat a trifle faster. " But you're no pirate!"

"AYE!" The men agreed whole-heartedly. "Not a pirate!" And they slammed mugs together yet again and drank.

"Yes I can be! I can be a pirate."  Emma said these words with such conviction, and looked at Jack so intensely, that it had a sobering effect on him.  Somewhere in his foggy, alcohol induced brain a little warning signal was going off.  There is more to this woman than meets the eye. Something about her still bothered him. And he remembered what it was about her that had caught his eye. It was the way in which she walked after she'd taken their first order.  He was certain she was not used to walking on solid land, but it wasn't necessarily the legs of a sailor that she had either, which made her sway about on dry land as if she was still on board a ship.  He couldn't put his finger on it.  She smelled like the sea.  It was such a pleasing fragrance to his nostrils, and her eyes were the color of the oceans depths.  They were not the eyes of a silly girl filled with fancies, which was common of girls her age. (Which, he guessed must be around nineteen or twenty)  It struck him that she seemed to have a great deal in common with the ocean.  Calm on the surface, but there was always something lurking underneath to be weary of.  He found it fascinating.  However, this train of thought was suddenly interrupted as Mr. Gibbs spoke, sounding equally as sober as Jack now felt.

" Woman…" said Mr. Gibbs. "It's bad luck to bring a woman on board!"

Duncan and Crimp nodded emphatically.  They hadn't been as affected by her as Jack had.

" I don't know what old wives tales you've been hearing about us, love…" Interjected Jack Sparrow wearily.  He'd decided rather than to tease her, he would be square with her. "But we're not good people. We're despicable characters, buccaneers and scallywags. We're not ones to obey the laws of the land.  We're dishonest, untrustworthy, and would kill you without a second thought if it were in our best interest, savvy?"

The men agreed with Jack, with shouts of "Arr!" and "To be Sure!!"

The girl's gaze was fixated on Jacks coal-dark eyes, he gave her a roguish grin and gestured to his comrades, swaying in his seat as he did so.  "We care about two things in this world, and only two!  Money, and ourselves!"

Jacks three comrades toasted to this and downed the rest of their ale, slamming the mugs on the wooden table so loud it echoed in the small room.  The conversation in the tavern seemed to have sobered along with them, and Sailors were staggering out into the summer night or lay passed out under tables.

Emma was trying desperately to think of a counter to Jack's argument.  But, her thoughts were interrupted by the scrape of the benches on the ground as they began to rise from their seats.

Jack staggered to his feet, then, he tipped his triangular hat to her slightly.  " So I'm sure with this new view, you'll be changing your mind about joining my ship.  And I shall bid you good night, Love… Fare ye well."

 Emma watched the four pirates stagger out of the tavern, thinking "_Not likely!"_

However, She couldn't blame them for refusing.  After all- what had she shown them? That she would allow herself to be bullied by a lot of drunken sailors. She was mad at herself for letting them see such a lack of spirit on her part to stand up for herself.  It was so unlike her usual spirit.  But it was only herself that knew that.   Of course they didn't think she had what it took to live among them!  But they had no idea who she was.  And there was one thing she was sure of; she wouldn't give up until she had a place aboard the Black Pearl!

She clenched the fabric of her skirt in tight fists, and left the tavern in pursuit of Captain Jack Sparrow and his disreputable crew.


	2. A Shady Deal

Pirates of the Caribbean – The Secret of HellWater

**authors note**- I hope things get a little more interesting for you in this chapter, the first isn't the most riveting.  I had to set the stage.  Please leave me your comments!

Chapter 2- A Shady Deal 

Light streamed through the windows of the Captains Cabin aboard the Black Pearl.  Jack lay in a drunken slumber on the disheveled bed, littered about with empty bottles from the night's festivities after he'd left the tavern.  A cool breeze blew in and ruffled his hair.  All seemed peaceful until he jolted awake by the icy cold blast of a bucketful of water in his face.  "I'llmakeyewalktheplank!" He said quickly, then seemed to realize where he was and looked up with a glazed expression at the figure of a woman standing over him with one hand on her hip and the other holding the dripping bucket.

"You look…mighty familiar…" He said blinking back weariness and willing his eyes to focus.  His head was splitting and the room around them seemed to whirl about like a wheel, with this girl standing before him as the axis.  He sat up reluctantly, wincing as the movement reinforced the pain he felt in his head.  

"Take a good look." She said, a hint of amusement in her musical voice.

He did, and her face came slowly into focus, his eyes widened and he jumped up from the bed with a sudden energy he himself was surprised he had.

 "You! How'd you sneak on board my ship!"  It was the barmaid they'd met last night. The one that had said she wanted to join his crew.  She stood there as surefooted as any seaman on the softly rocking boat, rolling back and forth on her feet with the movement of the waves.

She shrugged towards an open window. Sparrow stalked over and peered out and down, expecting to see a dingy of some sort.  They were the furthest boat anchored from the harbor, but he saw no boat tied below his window.  He straightened and looked at her incredulously.  Then pointed at the window with one hand bedecked in silver rings. "Did you swim all this way? In THAT?" He gestured to her layers upon layers of clothing.  "You'd sink straight to the bottom." 

" I'm a strong swimmer." She replied smugly, then with more heat, she said. "I want you to take me as crew on your ship." 

"I have a crew, I have no need for ye." Jack Sparrow gave her a crooked smile. " And I will not take a woman on board the Pearl who has no visible value to Her, or me."

Emma looked lost for words; Jack shrugged and quickly scooped her up in both arms. 

"WHA! What are you doing?! Let me go!" She protested with a vain struggle, which was easily overpowered by the roguish pirate, and he carried her squirming towards the open window. 

 "If you swam all the way out here, I figure you can swim back," He said with a humor filled tone of voice. " I bid ye good day, Miss Emma."

"Wait! I haven't finished talking yet!" She flailed her arms and legs, and managed to wedge one foot in-between her and Jack, firmly against the windowsill to stop him from pushing her over the side.  "You said value! I have value! I can cook!"

"We have a cook."

"I can sew! I can mend canvas and clothes!"

"We're a mangy lot, to be sure, but we'll survive just fine with a few holes in our stockings."  He grinned, he was enjoying ruffling her feathers.  She was a fun one to have around.  He'd not been expecting her to go so far as to steal aboard his ship. And she was feisty!  He liked feisty women.  It almost made him regret having to throw her off… almost…"

"I have money! I can pay you!"

To this, he stopped pushing her and stepped aside, letting her drop onto the wooden floor. Emma scrambled up, smoothing her skirts and trying to not look flustered.  

"Money? Now you are speaking my language." He gave her a glittering, crooked smile, punctuated with several gold and silver teeth.  The smile seemed to stun her for a second. And she just stared at him wide-eyed.  

He gave her a disparaging look; "Cat got your tongue now?"

She snapped out of it instantly, and with a graceful recovery, drew a small pouch from the front of her bodice in one smooth motion. Then, she tossed the coins across the small room to him.

He caught them easily in one hand, and spilled the contents into his open palm.  He had half expected them to be mere shillings, he'd been all set to tease her about her poor state, but his eyes widened visibly as gold glittered up at him. And for an instant, he was at a complete loss for words.

"Who's tongue has the cat got now?" She stood straighter and beamed a look of triumph. Jack Sparrow tore his eyes from the gold and regarded her with a look of awe that was unsettling. 

"This gold…" his tongue was dry in his throat and his voice suddenly hoarse, he'd seen that specific type of coin only one time before in his life… he knew he would never forget it too. The familiar seal and writing on the smooth, shiny surface of the coin unearthed a sudden deluge of memories. 

            _He saw a ship tossing about amid a tumultuous storm, a man aboard yelled at the top of his voice, there was a great crack of thunder, lightening ripped the sky.  Rain pounded down, drenching the crew.  A high-pitched scream of something huge and monstrous echoed in his ears and he was suddenly under water, falling further into the depths.  He struggled to swim but there was too much pain, he couldn't move. He was paralyzed with the fear, then, he felt arms around him, pulling him upwards…_

"HellWater…" He whispered softly. "That's very interesting…" A spark ignited in his mind, the gears started turning, all drowsiness from the nights pastimes were gone and his eyes lit with fervor of excitement. Thoughts ran through his head. "HellWater…So… I'm destined to face you again…I thought I might someday…with some luck…"

Emma watched him with a puzzled expression.  A sense of foreboding fell over her when she saw the look on his face as he gazed at the coin.  It was not only his greed. All pirates liked the sight of gold… no, there was something far more dangerous in his sparkling, coal lined eyes. She instantly regretted giving him the coin so soon. This was not the way things were supposed to go.  She wasn't in control of the situation, and she did not like it one bit

Then, he straightened and he put on a vain and puzzled expression for Emma.  "This gold… where did you get it?" He inquired as if he was asking about purchasing apples at market.

"Get it?" She repeated slowly.  Jack could see she was thinking fast, trying to find a suitable lie.  He could see that she knew its significance.  He guessed that she'd made an unwilling compromise. She must not have planned to show him this gold yet.  She probably wanted to establish herself aboard his ship first…  maybe to gain his trust? What did she know of HellWater?

"Let me cut to the chase, lassie." He said, putting both hands out and swaying slightly, as if the gesture were meant to catch her attention, which it did. " It's obvious enough to me that you know what this gold is.  I know it very well.  I know where it can be found, and I know that no lady such as yourself would be able to come by it easily.  You seem a smart young lady, and you wish to come aboard my ship as a crew member.  Well, let me tell you, no pirate can buy his way into the business, savvy?  If I was any less of a gentleman, I'd have taken your gold and slit your throat and be done with ye."

Emma swallowed nervously.  "But, you're not…less than a gentleman, are you?"

Jack gave her a toothy grin.  " I'll let you be the judge of that, love." He sat behind his desk and fingered the pistol that lay atop it.  Then looked at her again with that familiar crazy glint in his eyes.  " So, do you feel like telling me where you found that gold?"

She was silent for a moment, then squared her jaw and shot him a level look.  "How about this instead…" She said softly  "I'll give you this…" She drew a folded parchment out of her bodice next. "And in return, you won't ask me questions I'm not inclined to answer."

He eyed the weathered piece of paper.  "What is that?"

She turned it over to reveal a seal faded with age and wear.  He recognized it instantly.  It was a representation of a Sparrow flying amidst clouds and a setting sun with ocean waves.  He glanced at his right arm, which was tattooed with that very scene and from which he took his name. 

"Very well. I will make that deal." He extended his hand, and she held out hers reluctantly and shook it.  Then handed him the parchment with the other hand.

He took it and opened it gingerly on the table.  It was a map.

"HellWater! I knew it!" He said half to himself, half to the woman standing in front of him.  He rested a finger on a spot with a large red X.  "That Godforsaken place." He frowned and muttered under his breath.  " Just watch me you scurvy old scoundrel… That treasure will be mine…"

There was an uncomfortable silence.  Emma glanced about the cabin, and finally broke the eerie calm.  "Well then!  When do we set sail?"

"We?" He said questioningly as he put the map into his coat pocket, buttoning it securely closed.  "I'm sorry M'lady, but our deal had nothing to do with you joining my crew.  I will hold by my promise though, and not ask you any questions which you are not inclined to answer." He said this and at the same time scooped her up into his arms again and securely brought her back over to the open window.

"What! No! You CHEATER!! You still need me!  Look at that map! That treasure you want is at the bottom of the ocean! How are you going to get it? You said you'd take me along"

"Implied—not said." Grinned Jack "And what part about the treasure being at the bottom of the ocean implies that I have to take you with me? Have a pleasant day m'lady!"

"You… You…PIRATE! I GOT that treasure from the sunken ship, Donalda!  You NEED me to get it for you! No one else can do it! The map is useless without me!"

"Aye!  Just the words I was wanting to hear."  Jack Sparrow released his grip and let her struggle out of his arms. Emma jumped away from him, and then whirled in an outrage. 

"You… TRICKED me! You FIEND!"

Jack flashed her a grin.  " You'll be getting your wish love, and be welcome aboard my ship.  But you're no crew, you're not a pirate until you can deem yourself worthy as one.  You'll be my guest instead for this voyage, savvy?"

"Guest?" She repeated softly, as if having trouble understanding.  This was all going too fast for her to handle. And too out of her control. 

"Aye, there's just one thing that confuses me though…" Jack said, his tone solemn, he eyed her seriously.  " What benefit can you possibly get out of giving me this treasure map, and helping me get the gold?"

"You can only think like a pirate, can't you?" Emma said smugly.

Her tone of voice threw Jack off for a moment, and he remembered his thoughts about her unusual grace from last night.  

"Just… who are you?" He asked. 

"Captain!"  Mr. Gibbs burst through the door without bothering to knock.  "I heard voices here… I'm just seeing if everything be all right sir?"  He stopped at the site of Emma and gave the Captain a questioning glance.

"Aye… The day brings some unexpected surprises." Jack turned with a swagger, and lurched almost drunkenly towards Gibbs.  He stopped a few feet from his first mate, and with a grin, clapped a hand on his shoulder.  "Call a meeting of the crew, we've got a some new developments to discuss. We'll be setting course for Tortuga shortly."

"Tortuga?" Emma questioned.

"Aye! Tortuga!"


	3. Tortuga

Pirates of the Caribbean – The Secret of Hell Water 

*revision 7-22-03:  I read through this shortly after posting it and found it riddled with typos!  How embarrassing! I apologize to you all! Anyways, here is a corrected draft. I hope I've managed to catch them all this time. Damn typos!

*Damn! I'm writing these fast! I hope it keeps up. I'm having a lot of fun with this. =) Will shows up in this Chapter, and Elizabeth too! (well- almost!)  Hooray for Tortuga!!

**_Chapter 3- Tortuga_**

"Tortuga!  I love this place! It's filled with all the filthy, slimy, dirty, despicable and dishonorable sea-faring scumbags you've ever laid eyes on!" Jack jumped nimbly from the shore-boat to the dock as the rest of his crew tied up.  He spread his hands out, swayed back and forth in his characteristic drunken manner and inhaled deeply.  Then suddenly doubled over coughing. 

"…Lovely…" Emma stepped off after him, wrinkling her nose 

The cough quickly subsided, Jack glanced back at her for a moment with one eyebrow raised, then turned and continued to swagger up the dock as if nothing had upset him.  "Not the most fragrant of local's…" He admitted dryly.

The dull noise of the town grew steadily louder as they approached.  A cacophony of all types of music and merrymaking emanated from the different taverns they passed along the way.  Jacks crew dispersed among them, lured by the smells of food or the promise of good drink, or more likely than not, by the inviting calls of the prostitutes that colored the second floors of most buildings. Emma did her best to ignore the catcalls directed at her, and stayed close behind Jack and Mr. Gibbs, who headed for a well-lit tavern off the main square.  It had a hinged sign above it that said "The Faithful Bride," but its name certainly did not bespeak its character.  The moment they entered, Emma was surprised from a sudden assault by an air born wooden stool.  It flew past her head, smacked heavily against the far wall and fell with a clatter on the stone floor.  It had been directed at a seedy looking pirate who ducked out of the door soon after she had entered, and on his heels was a robust woman wearing little to leave to the imagination, screeching at the top of her lungs.  She picked up the stool, and righted it.  But the stool was only the prelude to a chain of unfortunate events.  The second she stood again and turned to follow Jack and Gibbs, (who'd already gone a fair distance into the crowd) she was assaulted a second time.  This time, by a huge, meaty arm from an angry, intoxicated pirate in the middle of a bar brawl.  He ran into her unintentionally, but in so doing, managed to shove her forward into a throng of unshaven scallywags that smelled like they hadn't bathed in weeks.  Pleased by this sudden female appearance, they wasted no time in assaulting her with pinches on the behind and various catty remarks that made her face go scarlet.

With great difficulty, she managed an escape and searched around for Jack and his first mate.  They were standing by a vertical wooden beam on the other side of the room, watching her with identical looks of amusement that made her want to slap the two of them silly.

She gave the bar brawl a wide birth and went to stand before the two bemused seadogs.  Her ears burned and she was sure she was bright red with embarrassment. 

" Gotta be on your guard here." Jack said with a twinkle in his eye and leaned towards her for emphasis, swaying in his usual manner.  " The Faithful Bride is one of the toughest old hellholes in Tortuga.  But just the place to talk if we don't want to be disturbed."

He turned to head for an open table just as a skinny, tall, and extremely well bosomed young lady wearing what seemed to Emma like a ton of blush stalked up to Jack, took aim, and slapped him hard with a resounding SMACK across the cheek.  The pirate turned with the punch, uttering a grunt of surprise and focused a painful look on Emma, who blinked back startled.

" Gone for 6 MONTHS without a word! And THIS is how you repay me?" She yelled hoarsely, pointing accusingly at Emma, and then whirled away with a flourish and was gone as quickly as she had come.

" Ahh- Tortuga…" Jack said musically, and fixed a faraway stare. "My home away from home…"

They sat down and Mr. Gibbs ordered the drinks. 

" So…Cotton, Moises, Kursar, Duncan, Crimp, Ladbroc, Matelot, Quartetto, Anamaria, Me, you, and Ms. Emma… are all in for the count on recovering the treasure of Hell Water."  Mr. Gibbs named off the willing crew who'd already signed on with Jack for the adventure ahead to recover the treasur.. " Tearlach and Jacoby are out, leaving two positions that need to be filled." 

Emma had been present at the meeting Jack held prior to setting sail for Tortuga, that morning.  She had no idea how he would be able to weasel his crew into sailing to Hell Water, which had earned its name for very good reason. It was sheer madness to attempt sailing those particular water's and any seafaring man with a shred of good sense steered far clear of that place.  But the fabled wit and grace of Captain Jack Sparrow was not an exaggeration.  Emma remembered well that genius display of his from two days ago, when he'd first told them of his 'unexpected surprise.'  

Jack had  tossed a single coin he'd taken from the purse she'd given him to Mr. Gibbs.  Mr. Gibbs, after admiring it, biting down on it, and shining it against his breast pocket, passed it about the crew who did the same. The words every pirate loved to hear, 'treasure hunt' was passed about in excited whispers. Then, interest was piqued and Jack spoke about what he knew of the treasure of Hell Water.

" Enough gold, me hearties, that would make any King or Queen green with envy!" Jack was great at acting with melodramatics. The wind blew his unruly black hair about his face wildly.  His eyes sparkled with excitement and the promise of adventure; he swayed about the deck in his usual quirky manner, punctuating each sentence with his crooked smile. A hand moved to stroke one mustache, and then down to scratch his chin, which set his narrow braided beard, decorated with beads, rattling back and forth.  

The crew hung onto his every word.  " The treasure of Hell Water would make each of us rich enough to buy our own island, fill it with rum, and retire comfortably for the good of the rest of our days." He paused and glanced at Anamaria, who watched him with pursed lips and an unreadable expression.  " You could buy a fleet of ships!" At this, her eyes sparkled and she let a smile crack her lips.  

Jack gave each crewmember in turn an idea of what they would be capable of getting if they had a share in the treasure.  Eyes lit with excitement and gape-toothed smiles were revealed on the faces of the men.  By the time he was threw with his pep-talk, Emma was sure that they would follow him into the pit of Hell itself if it meant the treasure would be theirs.  Then, Jack spoke to them about the dangers they would face.  

"A perilous reef to navigate, infested with sharks and all manner of sea scum, sharp rocks, unpredictable weather conditions, sand bars, and Hell Water itself which, if my memory serves me, was a giant treacherous whirlpool that has sent many a hard hearted sailor and many a fine sea vessel to Davey Jones' Locker!"

"Shiver me timbers!" Mr. Gibbs interrupted with a visible shiver.  " Jack- err… Captain… how can it be that ye know so much? Ye speak as if ye've seen it with yer own eyes!"

"Aye! I have…" Jack said, nodding slowly, letting the knowledge sink in.  "I've been there, and come back many a time, when I was a young boy."

  The crew threw alarmed glances at each other, exclamations of "How?" and "Impossible!" could be heard. 

"How, you ask? Why, haven't you figured it out by now?"

They watched him uneasily.  No one spoke.

"I'm Captain Jack Sparrow!" He said with his usual swagger. "And I happen to have… in my possession, a MAP that charts safe passage through Hell Water, savvy?" He brought the weathered piece of parchment into the open, and a raucous cheer went up by the crew.  

They whistled and clapped and stomped their feet and cries of "Rich! We're going to be RICH!" carried across the ship and rang like music in Emma's ears.  His trump card had been played.  The crew recognized the map as belonging to the only pirate who had learned safe passage in and out of Hell Water.  He had used it to navigate the dangerous cove for many years long ago.  The cove was used as a cache for his treasure trove.  The pirate had been none other than Jack's own father, his namesake… Captain 'Black Jack' Sparrow. He had been well known as the most fearsome pirate to have plundered the seven seas in half-a-century.  But he'd disappeared mysteriously about 30 years ago with his ship, The _Donalda_ and his entire crew with him.  It was a well-known tale by all seafaring and land based folk, both pirate and non-pirate.  Some believed he'd retired to paradise, other's fancied he and his crew had finally been defeated by the vengeful currents of Hell Water and lay in their watery graves at the bottom of the ocean.  None of his crew questioned Jack about his father or his previous experience with Hell Water. They knew well enough that Jack never talked of him, and had no desire too. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Now, Emma found herself in the most despicable, scum-worthy cutthroat infested tavern in all of Tortuga, drinking ale that burned all the way down to her gullet.  They had docked for supplies.  Two crew members had decided to sit this adventure out, not out of cold feet (as they vehemently protested), but because Tearlach had contracted a bad case of scurvy and was in no shape to sail, and Jacoby had a land-based business deal to make that involved several monkeys, two parrots, a pot bellied pig, and a shady character by the name of "Pinkeye," that would most likely take him several weeks.  No one pressed for further details.

" The trick is, we have to fine someone we can trust." Mr. Gibbs said, musing over his drink.  Emma returned her attention to the men she shared the table with.  "Someone who won't go about blabbing to the entire town that we're after Hell Water." Gibbs growled under his breath, looking from side to side suspiciously.  " Then there certainly would be Hell to pay!"

" I trust you'll find the right people, mate." Said Jack with a sly grin. " Now, if you'll excuse me, I think I'll go and search for some nightly company." He lurched to his feet, and stepped over the bench clumsily.  He tottered on one foot for a moment like he was on a tightrope then regained his balance and began to swagger towards the bar. However, he didn't go more than a few strides before a familiar face intercepted his view. 

"Jack?"

Jack swayed backwards in surprise, squinting at the sudden obstruction and willing it to come into focus.  It did, and his jaw dropped.

" Good God…" was all he managed to say before one strong, calloused hand clamped down on his own in a hearty shake and a thin but muscular arm was thrown over his shoulder and brought him into an embrace.

" Jack! It's great to finally see you again!  Elizabeth will be so relieved! We've been here for almost a fortnight hoping to run into you!"  The man released Jack and stepped back a pace to get a look at him, and Jack did the same.  

"Will?"  Jack said in amazement. "What are you doing here?"

Will gave him a dashing smile.  " Well, it's a long story, but one that will be better said over a drink, with Elizabeth's company. She's the reason I'm here, after all." 

Jack grinned, showing off his mouthful of glittering teeth.  " How's the little misses?"

" Up to her ears in trouble, as usual." Will grinned back.  Then he swiped his hand across his nose and grimaced. "Bloody Hell Jack! You could do with a bath!"

Jack Sparrow ignored Will's comment gracefully. He swept his hand back and gestured at Emma, who had been watching the pair in rapt fascination. 

"This is Emma, I picked her up in North Harbor a few nights ago.  She is my guest aboard _The Pearl_."

Will gave Jack an obvious look of surprise.  Jack shrugged his shoulders. "Long story mate, But I'm sure you'll hear it soon enough."

"I'm looking forward to it." Will said as he shifted a curious gaze toward Emma, and inclined his head.  "How do you do, miss?"

" Very well, thank you." Emma replied, blushing slightly. She couldn't help but think to herself that he was quite handsome.

"I'm sure you remember Gibbs?" Jack interjected.

"Yes! Of course!" Will greeted Gibbs with a handshake.

" William! My boy it's good to see ye!" Mr. Gibbs laughed heartily.  "Come! Sit! Have a drink!"

Will acquiesced, and Jack ordered another round of ale.  Emma studied the newcomer discreetly over the top of her glass.  It occurred to her, that he was the complete and total opposite of Jack Sparrow.   He had a gentlemanly air about him that Jack completely lacked.  Clean-shaven with the exception of a well-trimmed goatee, his dark curly hair was pulled back from his face in a ponytail and he wore a wide brimmed hat decorated with multiple colored plumes.  He carried himself like any sure-footed buccaneer would. He stood solidly, in contrast to Jack, who swayed and lurched about even when sober.  His feet were encased in knee high black boots with enormous boot cuffs. His hand rested idly on the hilt of a sword buckled at his waist and a thick blue-gray cape swirled about his legs that sported a few tattered edges.  His clothing and gentile manner made him stick out like a sore thumb in the tavern, but no man so much as looked his way.  She noticed a fading bruise under his cheekbone and wondered if he'd already gained himself a place of superiority among them with that sword at his belt at some point in the past.

_"He must be a real Swashbuckler!"_ thought Emma.  _"I wonder if he will join our ship?"_

            " So! Will… tell us what brings you to Tortuga?" Jack's voice brought Emma back to the present.  "This certainly is the last place I would have expected to find you…and Elizabeth? You implied that she is here as well?"

            "Yes!  She's supposed to meet me here, actually.  She should be here any minute."  He took a drink and grimaced.  "This stuff is terrible!"

            "Aye!! Ain't it the best?" Mr. Gibbs intoned drunkenly, and then he raised his cup in salute and downed it in one gulp.

            "Elizabeth?" Emma asked, glancing at Jack.

            " Yes, Elizabeth… uhh- Turner…now, right?"

            Will nodded.  "Oh! There she is, she'll be able to introduce herself to you now."

            " Where?" Jack said, craning his neck to scan the tavern.

            " Right there! By the door."  Will put up his hand to get her attention.  " There! She sees us now…"

            Jack met Will's line of site. But what he saw made him do a double take. The coal dark eyes widened visibly and Emma could have sworn at that instant that his sun-darkened skin went a whole shade paler.

            Jack Sparrow opened his mouth, uttered a brief oath, and exclaimed, "THAT, is Elizabeth?"


	4. The Pirate Wench

Pirates of the Caribbean – The Secret of Hell Water

(A/N: I've started to realize a pattern here, everyone always gets drunk! Well—it IS a story about Pirates after all! =) I want to thank you all SOOO much for your awesome encouragement and reviews. It really helps me writing. I actually laughed out loud at some of them! (This one's for you Emma!) I can finally get into the adventure in the next chapter though- whew! All these introductions and explanations take a while. Don't ask me why I did to Elizabeth what I did.  I never plan for these things to happen, I just get the notion while writing and go with it.  ^^;;;;;   Call it artistic license of you will… I honestly think it's feasible given her personality… okay- enough with the suspense! I'll shut up now.)__

Chapter 4- The Pirate Wench 

 Elizabeth walked to the table with large, unladylike strides, stopping about a foot away and looking down on the group with a large grin on her face.

"Jack Sparrow! If it isn't you at last!" She said enthusiastically.  " Will and I were beginning to loose hope that we'd ever run into you in this vile rat infestation of a town."

Emma wanted to laugh out loud at the look that was on Jack's face.  He was staring up at her with blatant amazement.  She figured that this new woman who'd just made herself present was quite different from what he remembered.

" Uhh- yes, Elizabeth!"  Jack blinked a few times and gave an involuntary twitch. Then one side of his mouth turned up in a quirky smile.  "I see you've… changed… quite a bit since I last saw you."

"Oh! This?" Elizabeth raised her arms, looking down at her clothes. " Yes, well… it's quite comfortable actually. It's much better than those god-forsaken corsets that seem to be in so much fashion nowadays."  
            Will smiled up at his wife.  "She's been utterly taken with Pirates since you left us at Port Royal all those years ago.  It's a little scary, actually… you should see her tattoo…"

One of Jack's eyebrows shot up, then he tore his gaze from Elizabeth and glanced at Emma, "Well! Emma… allow me to introduce Mrs. Elizabeth Turner." He gestured to Elizabeth vaguely  " Elizabeth Turner…This is Emma." 

" It's nice to meet you!" Elizabeth smiled and inclined her head towards Emma.  Emma returned the gesture warmly. 

The word "Pirate Wench," was the closest word Emma could use to describe Elizabeth's strange choice of attire.  It wouldn't have seemed strange if she'd been a man, Jack had demonstrated well enough with his unique fashion that you could put just about any trinket or piece of torn up fabric on your back and make it look fashionable. But in the time they lived, it was quite uncommon to see a woman dressed so roguishly.  Like Will, Elizabeth wore clothing that was well-tailored, clean, and fine in cut and style. But there was no denying that she was wearing men's clothing.  Her Jacket was a deep, dark blue, buttoning halfway up the front and fit the contours of her figure nicely.  It fit her waist snugly and flared out at the hips, hanging down to her mid-thighs.  The coat had large cuffs, held back with bone cufflinks, and was quite plain in terms of its lack of decoration, with the exception of some simple white embroidery around the rim of the overturned collar.  At the waist, she had a cream colored sash that had seen better days tightly knotted with two tasseled ends.  It hung freely astride one well-rounded hip.  She wore a slightly travel stained white blouse underneath the coat, buttoned low enough to display a small amount of cleavage.  She wore well fitting black breeches, and black boots that went up past her knees.  Her hair was probably the most drastic difference though, because it was her face that Jack's eyes kept straying back to.  The light brown curls were intermixed with small braids that were messily arranged, some of the foremost ones were pulled back into a low ponytail behind her head, and served to keep the rest of her hair out of her eyes.  Like Jack, she sported Trade Jewelry in her hair.  Glass Beads and trinkets and medallions glittered about her head like small ornaments on a Christmas tree. It was a stunning sight to behold.  And, like Jack, Her eyes were darkened with coal at the edges, though not as dark or as pronounced as his.

"Ah-hem!" 

All eyes suddenly went to Mr. Gibbs, who had cleared his throat.  His reaction to Elizabeth's drastic change in appearance was similar to Jacks.  His mouth hung open slack jawed, and his eyes were as round as saucers.  

"Mr. Gibbs! You don't have to stare so rudely- it's not good manners!" Elizabeth folded her arms across her chest and shifted her weight to one foot in a scolding manner. The trinkets in her hair clinked gently with the motion.  

Gibbs cleared his throat, making a graceful recovery and flashed her a warm smile. "It's nice to see ye again, Mrs. Turner now, isn't it?"

"Yes." Elizabeth took a seat at the head of the table. "Wow! I'm so pleased to see you again Jack."

By this time, Jack had completely recovered his composure. He scratched his head absentmindedly and gave both her and Will a quizzical look.  " So, do you want to tell me now what you're doing in Tortuga?" 

The story was a long one, and was filled with a mixture of emotions.  Will and Elizabeth had spared no time in getting married.  After their adventure, they didn't want to take any chances that some new trial might arise that would prevent them.  They soon moved to the living space on the second story of the Port Royal Smithy.  Will worked his usual hours, pounding tempered steel into blades, and Elizabeth busied herself with projects like furnishing and beautifying their new home, mending and sewing and knitting… and basically waiting for the day she could bring the happy news to Will that he would be a father.

"But…the day didn't want to come." She said softly, casting a melancholy gaze down into her lap.

Will put a firm hand on hers and smiled at her warmly, then returned his gaze to the rest of the table.  Mr. Gibbs shook his head, Emma gazed sympathetically at Elizabeth, and Jack looked bored, he was leaning against the table with his cheek resting on his right hand.  He gestured to a barmaid for more ale with his left nonchalantly, and Will continued the story.

" About a year passed, and still no children.  Elizabeth began to get restless." He glanced at her for reassurance and she nodded in confirmation.

" I hated it!" She said vehemently.  " Just sitting around all day like a pining widow. I found myself thinking about the adventures I'd had the summer before.  How scared I'd been, but also how alive I'd felt!  I longed for that feeling again."

" She started taking trips out to the docks," Will added.  " I purchased a small boat and we'd go out and take trips up the coast.  It was some of the best times we shared those years.  Elizabeth changed her appearance around that time.  I guess you could call it filling the void she'd created in herself.  She wanted the life of a Buccaneer." Will grinned.  " And to be honest, so did I.  I had my work, but I do admit, when Elizabeth began showing interest in the sea again, it wasn't difficult to put down my hammer and join her.  About a year ago, I closed up shop and we left Port Royal to sail up and down the coast, not really knowing what to do with ourselves, but enjoying the freedom of it all.  Then we ran into some pirates."

Jacks eyebrows shot up at this new development in the story.  Emma sat watching their faces go from blissful to somber.

" Have you heard of Captain Morgan?" Will turned to gaze at Jack.

" Aye… a good man, Captain Morgan. I've gotten drunk with him many a time." (A/N: sorry--- I couldn't resist! :D)

"Yes, well… we had docked at a small trading port, and were at a tavern the night they came aboard.  They came in stealth, but they did not attack the port, it was probably too well guarded and they just wanted a place to get supplies to repair their ship, which had gotten the bad side of a storm.  Anyways, we made the acquaintance of the Captain."

" He was fascinating." Elizabeth said.  " Such a Scallywag!"

"That night, a storm hit, and smashed up our boat pretty badly." Will shrugged.  "  We bartered passage here with Captain Morgan in exchange for helping with the repairs."

" I don't want to return to Port Royal." Elizabeth said with conviction.  " It's too stifling, and I would always be faced with the rolling eyes and the averted glances of the people there. Even my own father!"

" He didn't much care for her newfound interest in piracy." Will grinned.  " And I won't even get into Commodore Norrington's view on the matter!"  He laughed.  Emma smiled, not knowing the people mentioned, but could well enough imagine. She took a sip of her drink and noticed that the ale didn't burn quite as much as it had before, and downed the rest of the mug.  Mr. Gibbs nodded with understanding towards Elizabeth before tipping his own glass.  Jack sat trying to clean the grime out from under his fingernails while looking mildly interested. 

 "Anyways, so here we are!" Will sat back and opened his arms for emphasis.  "For lack of a better excuse, I'm running out of money and we could use some excitement.  You're timing is impeccable."

" Will you take us on your ship, Jack?" Elizabeth asked fervently.

Jack continued inspecting his fingernails for a few more seconds, then set his hands on the table and cocked his head to the side with his gaze shifting to Emma. "Those words sound eerily familiar…"

" Well, you were a difficult egg to crack!" Emma said loudly, gesturing at him with one hand and the other pounded the mug on the table. " I couldn't very well let you and that ship get away! After searching for—" Then she noticed the looks being directed at her, and swallowed the next word she was going to say.  She blushed and sunk lower in her seat, peering over the rim of her mug.

_" I am so drunk…"_ she thought to herself. " _Smart move, Emma_…"

There was a silence and everyone was staring at her with different expressions alighting their faces ranging from amusement to pity.

"Well!" Jack straightened, breaking the silence.  He leaned back quickly and forgot at that moment that his chair had no back, thus he staggered, almost falling off the back of the bench. He caught himself just in time, righted his balance and shrugged the scene off with a vague sweep of his hands along the tabletop.  "It just so happens that we have two open spaces aboard my ship that need filling."

Elizabeth and Will both uttered exclamations of excitement, but were quickly stifled as Jack lifted a finger in warning.

" Hold on a moment, mates… you'll want to hear where we're going before you jump aboard." He lowered his voice and everyone leaned in to listen.  Gibbs shot suspicious glances to the side tables, but they happened to be alone in that corner of the tavern.  " We're going after a notorious treasure, but it's in perhaps THE most dangerous locale in the entire Caribbean, savvy?"

Elizabeth nodded, setting her hair trinkets swinging wildly.

"Tell us about it." Will said.

The next hour or so was spent in deep conversation about the Jack's fathers' treasure cache, Hell Water, its perils, and its rewards if they were delivered safely too and from the place. The last tidbit of information was the map Emma had provided Jack, which explained to both Will and Elizabeth her presence aboard _The Black Pearl_.

" But, if you've been there before…" Will began.  " Doesn't that mean that you could navigate without the map?"

Jack shook his head. " The last time I was there, I was probably no older than ten years.  I was cabin boy aboard _Donalda_. And my father certainly didn't take the time or spend the energy to teach me much of anything with the exception of learning to fear the back of his hand if I misbehaved." He straightened and threw his head back loosely, looking at each of the listeners down the bridge of his nose.  " I don't remember much else about him other than I was terrified of the man."

" What happened to him?" Asked Elizabeth, hesitantly. "I have only heard of 'Black Jack' in stories."

" I don't really know. I don't remember." Jack shrugged off her question with an air of finality that silently said 'this conversation is over.'

There was an uncomfortable silence. The Gibbs cleared his throat and squinted with one eye at Will and Elizabeth. " Well? What do ye say? Are ye in? If not, I'm afeared of the consequences, seein' as we just told you a great deal of mighty valuable information." He eyed Jack, who grimaced.

" I think we can trust them, Gibbs." Jack said with a curt nod.

" You don't have to worry, Mr. Gibbs." Elizabeth interjected.  " We'll go with you!"

" We will?" Will shot her a look of amazement.  " Elizabeth, you did hear the man, didn't you? Whirlpools and sharks and perilous reefs?"

" And unpredictable weather conditions and sand bars…" Jack added innocently.

" That too!" Will exclaimed. "Do you realize how dangerous that is?"

" I do." Elizabeth said with soft assurance.  She was gazing at Jack, weighing his story and balancing all the possible outcomes in her mind.  " And I think if any seafaring, villainous scum can make it to Hell Water, retrieve such a fortune, and return in one piece, it's Captain Jack Sparrow."

Jack bowed his head to her jerkily with hands pressed together in thanks. 

" Well, I suppose that settles it." Will grinned.  "I did say we were looking for excitement."

" Be careful what you wish for." Jack said gruffly, he took a long swig of ale, and slammed the empty mug on the table.  "You might just get more than you were expecting." His glance was obviously directed at Emma, and his eyes were alight with what looked to her like… amusement? She stiffened visibly.

"Well!" she stood very quickly, then swayed dangerously.  All the alcohol she'd consumed in the course of the evening hit her in that one swift motion. Her head felt like it was stuffed with cotton. " I'm tired, I think I will go to bed." She heard herself say groggily as she turned to gaze down at Jack, who was regarding her with a crooked smirk.  "See you at the ship." 

Then she passed out right there on her feet, falling forward into Jack.  He was taken by surprise, but managed to catch her before her head hit the edge of the table. 

" See what I mean?" He said mumbling more to himself than to the others watching.  Elizabeth looked at Emma with a mixture of pity and embarrassment. Will's eyebrows furrowed in worry.

"Do you need any help with her?" He asked.

" No…no…" Jack shrugged his question off as he stood up, holding her in both arms easily.  "She's light as a feather…probably accounts for her little-to-no-tolerance." He cracked a roguish smile at them. 

Will shook his head disparagingly. " You're such a pirate."

"Thank you."

" Well, this way she at least will know not to drink so much next time." Elizabeth said, giving Jack a dirty look. "You let her drink herself silly, didn't you?"

" Aye! Your point?"

Will and Elizabeth just shook their heads and rose from their seats.  They agreed to meet Jack tomorrow at the ship and discuss what they could do in terms of preparations for the voyage and then retired for the night to their lodging, which was at the edge of town.  At some point in recent events, before Emma took an unintentional nosedive into Jack's arms, Mr. Gibbs had passed out and was snoring loudly with his head resting on the rough tabletop. Jack decided to leave him there, Gibbs was perfectly capable of taking care of himself.

And so Captain Jack Sparrow swaggered down the street with an unconscious girl snoring softly in his arms.  He looked distractedly from one side of the street to the other with a face full of regret.  He passed by busy taverns with their windows that glowed from bright candlelight displaying the various activities going on inside. Some of the men were his shipmates, others acquaintances and a few were new faces.  His ears picked up shouts of encouragement from passersby, but they did not faze him.   Despite his desire to join the festivities, he kept a steadfast course towards the docks with his fair-haired burden, and couldn't help but smile.  His step quickened to a saunter, and he sang softly to himself and the night.

_We're rascals, scoundrels, villains and knaves,_

_Drink up, me 'earties, yo ho._

_We're devils and black sheep, really bad eggs,_

_Drink up, me 'earties, yo ho!_


	5. Secrets

**_Pirates of the Caribbean – The Secret of Hell Water_**

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_(A/N- update 7- 25-03) Ahhh!!!! The first draft I uploaded was NOT the one I wanted too- it was the one riddled with typos. (cringes) I'm sorry! This is the better version!_

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_(A/N- Oh my god this chapter is long… ^^;; I really do tend to write novels, don't I? This thing according to my outline, was originally only supposed to be eight chapters, but I get so caught up in the details that it's probably going to be like… 14 or something instead. O.o Oiii vey… Oh well- I hope you like this chapter! By the end you'll know where I get my writing style. =D Oh ho ho ho—I live for the Historical romance novel!_) 

**Chapter 5- Secrets**

Light streamed in through the open windows of the Black Pearl's Captains quarter. The air was warm and humid, which promised for the residents of the port town of Tortuga more intense heat as the day progressed. A cool sea breeze blew in, ruffling the tattered curtains of the cabin. Emma groaned and rolled over onto her side, keeping her eyes tightly shut. She felt incredibly tired. Her entire body felt as heavy as an anchor. The breeze died away and silence settled.

THUMP 

Emma twitched and curled her knees up to her chest, desperately trying to keep blessed sleep from escaping her. 

BUMP 

She rolled over again, grabbing for a pillow, found a warm round object and hugged it to her, burrowing her face to try and keep the light away. It moved slightly, and as sleep gradually dissipated, Emma realized what she was holding was not a pillow. She cracked one eye open and then the other and found herself lying practically nose-to-nose with Captain Jack Sparrow. He was fast asleep with his jaw slack; the sun glinted off of one golden canine. 

Emma screamed and jumped back, fell off the low bed, and hit the floor with a smack in a tangle of skirts and petticoats. Jack bolted up right in an instant, a pistol in his hand and looked about frantically. "I'llsendyatodaveyjones!" He continued to whirl the pistol about for a few more seconds, before he realized it had been a false alarm. Then, he slid the pistol back under his pillow and stretched his arms above his head, blinking the sleep from his eyes. Then he noticed Emma on the floor, she was holding her head in both hands and rocking back and forth. 

" Good morning, love." He said with a coy smile. 

" Ughhh…" was all the response he got from her. 

" I'd imagine all the booze you consumed last night isn't agreeing with your head." He said conversationally. 

Emma winced visibly and peered up at him through blood shot eyes." Wha—what happened? How'd I get—How'd you…?"She seemed incapable of completing her sentence, she wasn't sure if it was due the severe hangover, the shock of waking up in bed with a pirate, or a combination of the two. She wanted to ask him about the night before, but part of her wasn't sure she wanted to know. 

His smile widened and he lay back on his elbows amidst some ragged cushions once finely decorated with gold embroidery. " Aye, it was a pleasant evenin'. The drink, the song, the company…" He looked at Emma through the corners of his coal black eyes, and one corner of his mouth turned up in a smirk. She blanched. 

" What! No way! I'd remember something like that!" 

" You were pretty fair gone, love." 

" No! You're lying! Don't lie to me! Ughh…" In her outburst she'd tried to stand and failed miserably." You scummy, horrible pirate!" 

" Aye, I'm a pirate." He said completely nonplussed, then leaned forward. She looked up and regarded him angrily." You have a colorful imagination, love. But you can't really blame me, can ye?" His face took on one of sheer innocence." When a lady so obligingly falls literally into my arms, passed out with drink? If you were me, what would you have done? It gets lonely at night sometimes. But you do snore something awful." 

Emma pressed her hands to her temples. She wanted to scream in frustration. 

THUMP 

Jack looked up at the ceiling; the sounds of shuffling feet, thumps and scrapes above were becoming more and more audible." The mates are back…" He jumped off the bed gracefully, swayed for a moment, and then stooped down towards Emma, who hadn't moved from her spot on the hard wood floor. He set one hand against her chin and lifted her head up, making their eyes meet. She was feeling such a mixture of emotions, she didn't know whether to laugh or cry. 

" Don't take it so seriously, love. It was just one night, and if it makes you feel any better, you spent it with your elbow solidly planted in the middle of my back." He grimaced and stood, arching his back for emphasis." I will admit," he said, furrowing his eyebrows and grunting as an audible 'crack' was heard. "…That was most uncomfortable." Then he turned on his heel and headed out the door into the corridor. 

Emma listened to the sound of his boots as he ascended the steps up to the deck, then staggered to her feet and grudgingly followed after him, wondering what in the world had she gotten herself into, and most of all how this would affect her being cooped up on a ship with him for who knows how many months while searching for Hell Water and the treasure. She was deeply embarrassed. Getting drunk and passing out and then waking up in bed with Captain Jack Sparrow was the furthest thing from her expectations for this voyage. 

" _What in the world does he think of me? That I'm so easy? That he can just sleep with me any time he wants to?"_ She suppressed the rage boiling inside of her_. " That Bloody PIRATE!"_

She stomped up a few stairs, and then stopped as the movement made her head ache. 

_"Ugh—I'm NEVER touching that stuff ever again."_ She promised herself vehemently. Her rage had left her as quickly as it had come and she sighed audibly. She looked up at the remaining steps, not wanting to continue her ascent. 

_" It wasn't supposed to be like this…"_ She thought, and a wry laugh escaped her lips._" Maybe I'm getting in over my head. Is this really the kind of life I want? I could go back home. It would be so easy too… I could just leave and never return and they would never find me, and **'Captain Jack Sparrow'** would have his treasure map and probably…"_ she paused as a strange melancholy settled over her, "_probably… not care one way of the other if I was gone…"_

The remaining steps came slowly. She emerged into the full daylight, shielding her eyes from the sun streaming down on the workers. All the pirates were there, preparing the ship for a long journey. Barrels were being wheeled aboard, boxes and crates and armfuls of rope and some sturdy chain were being stored. Will and Elizabeth were among the workers. The crew chatted idly with them; some sang scattered phrases of pirate songs. Jack's voice could be heard above the bustle." Moises! You scurvy sea slug, take those swords and store them with the rest of the guns! Kursar, Don't put that rum in the Hold; it'll do no good for us down there! Take it to the Galley! But leave that casket for me!" 

" Pieces of Eight!" interrupted a high-pitched voice. "Pieces of Eight!" Emma whirled about to find Cotton's parrot eyeing her from a high vantage point on the Mainyard. 

" Yes," she agreed with him, talking softly under her breath." You'll all be rich before this is over… I hope…" 

A gentle sea breeze blew up, sending loose strands of hair dancing about her face and she turned and breathed deeply. The wind, the roll of the waves, the bustle of the crewmembers, and the familiar creaking of the ship calmed her frazzled nerves. And though her head still pounded, it didn't seem so unbearable. The thought of the voyage made her heart pound in her chest and she clenched her fists in her skirts with excitement. 

" _I can't believe I almost considered leaving_." She thought." _I've come too far to back out. And as for Captain Jack Sparrow… Well… I won't let him win! I'll make him take me seriously_!" 

"Emma! There you are." 

Emma turned to see Elizabeth approaching her. She looked lovely as the morning sunlight glinted off the beads that clacked and swung about in her hair. Emma thought idly that she might like trade jewelry in her own hair and maybe Elizabeth would be willing to braid it in if she managed to acquire some. She stored the thought away for future use. 

Elizabeth gave Emma a sympathetic smile." How are you doing this morning?" 

Emma pursed her lips, wondering if she should lie, or if she looked as bad as she felt, but Elizabeth answered her own question for her before she had the chance to open her mouth. 

" You look a fright. Why don't you come with me and we'll get something to eat. It'll make you feel better." 

" Thank you." Emma smiled with gratitude, but inside she was writhing with embarrassment. " _Never again_…" She followed Elizabeth down to the galley. "_NEVER AGAIN_!" 

~*~*~*~ 

The preparations were complete, all the food, guns, knives, gunpowder, ammunition, and most importantly…rum… was stored safely, and The Black Pearl disembarked from Tortuga by mid-day. The overall mood of the crew was hearty and they sang at the top of their lungs while they worked at casting off and raising the black sails of the ship. The wind caught and the ship took off at terrific speed. Emma had heard the stories that it was the fastest ship in the Caribbean, and she no longer doubted their validity. They were on their way! 

Emma had spent the rest of the day avoiding Jack Sparrow like the plague. If he was on deck, she went down below, if he went down below, she went on deck, and so on and so forth. She tried to be as inconspicuous as possible but it was plain for everyone to see that something had transpired between the two. Jack was indifferent to the whole ordeal. He stood straight and proud at the helm of the ship, the wind blew his wild assortment of braids and dreadlocks and loose strands of hair about his head, and his coal-lined eyes were focused on the distant horizon. He hummed a tune happily to himself, oblivious to everyone else about him. 

"He gets like that when he's at the helm." One of the crewmembers approached, and Emma whirled around, trying not to look embarassed that he had caught her staring at Jack. She remembered his name was Crimp. He'd been present at the bar the night she met Jack for the first time. She had a mop in her hand, and a soapy pail of water sat at her feet, untouched. She quickly dipped in the mop and began to swab the deck. 

"Oh really?" She said, trying to sound disinterested. 

"Aye, it's been said that the only love Captain Jack Sparrow ever had was _The Black Pearl_. That was why when Barbossa stole it from him, he dedicated all the remainder of his life to getting it back, and some say he went crazy from the shock of it all... When he was marooned, he'd been given a pistol with a single shot. And Jack carried it for nearly ten years before he finally used it to kill his enemy and reclaim his ship. He's like a different man when he's at the helm. He's tranquil." 

" Crimp! Get over here ye bilge rat! And help me with these ropes." Came a shout from the stern of the boat. Crimp didn't waist a second more of idle chatter. He scampered away and left Emma alone with her mop and her thoughts on Jack. 

" _He's a pirate, but he's not a cruel one."_ She thought to herself." _He did try to assuage me of my worries this morning after I woke up, I was just too sick to realize it until later."_ She'd promised herself when she took this venture to not get tangled up in any of that romantic nonsense stuff. It would create complications that she wasn't ready to deal with. But she couldn't help being attracted to the roguish pirate. The ordeal from this morning had brought into focus that unsettling thought. And as much as Emma tried to deny it to herself, she couldn't help but admit that maybe she might actually LIKE him. 

" _But that's all it is, just a silly crush."_ She told herself repeatedly while scrubbing one particularly nasty black stain on the deck that didn't want to come off. " _I've got to pull myself together. It was just a night with him, and I don't even remember the slightest detail. I should just forget about it… I'll act like it didn't even happen."_

She dunked the mop into the water and moved to another dark stain on the wood, feeling good about her decision. After all, she was trapped on a ship with him; she couldn't very well avoid him for the entire voyage. 

~*~*~*~*~

Later that afternoon, Emma had a chance to sit down and chat with Elizabeth. She was very interested in the kind of person Elizabeth was. Anamaria was the only other woman on the ship besides the two of them, but she acted more like a man and spent most of her time up in the rigging, tying the sails or perching as the lookout. 

And so, the two women sat in the galley, peeling potatoes and Emma finally got to hear the story of how Elizabeth came to meet Jack Sparrow and learned about the curse of _The Black Pearl_. It took the better part of the afternoon for her to tell the tale, and by the end Emma was beside herself with wonder. She loved stories and this one was fascinating. None of the stories she'd heard of Captain Jack Sparrow's amazing feats came even close to this one! He and Will both made a strange but excellent team. She hoped someday she might be able to see them together in action. 

" I had no idea this ship had such a history!" She said amazed. She threw the last potato into the bucket and Elizabeth smiled. 

" Well, it was a life changing experience for me. I'll never forget it." She focused a somber look at Emma." May I ask you a personal question?" 

Emma stiffened. "It depends on the question…" 

" Why are you here?" 

Emma pursed her lips, trying to think of how to answer." I…well… the treasure…" 

" The treasure? You had the map didn't you?" 

Emma nodded. Elizabeth shook her head." Jack told us all not to question you about it, but I would really like to know how you got it. You couldn't have known his father… but the map was supposed to have gone down with his ship. That was according to the stories…" 

Emma stood up abruptly. "The potatoes are done. I think I will go on deck for some fresh air." She smiled at Elizabeth, and inclined her head slightly. "Thank you for telling me your story." 

Elizabeth watched her scurry out of the galley, thinking to herself that there was definitely something peculiar about Emma. Her eyes were such a dark and vivid shade of blue, they seemed unnatural, and the way she walked was strange as well. She managed to walk about the rocking ship with ease, but not in the way of a sailor. She glided about it like her feet hardly touched the floor at all. 

"_She can walk to the roll of the waves with such little effort. She must have lived her entire life on the sea to be able to do that."_ Elizabeth thought it was quite fascinating." _But she is definitely hiding something and I know it has to do with that map. I wish I knew what it was!"_

~*~*~*~*~*~ 

A few more days passed, and nothing particularly exciting could be told. Jack spent a good portion of his time at the helm of the ship, which was his favorite place to be, period. He enjoyed his occasional verbal battles with Emma, who seemed quite determined to prove herself worthy of the honorary title of 'pirate.' He admired her determination. She had asked Mr. Gibbs to teach her about tying the different knots in the ropes. And she practiced at every chance she got. She learned about navigation by the stars, nautical terminology, rigging the sails for the appropriate weather conditions, among other things. 

"How is it, that you walk about this ship as if you've lived on one your entire life, yet you know next to nothing about sailing?" Asked Jack Sparrow one fine evening. The sky was a vivid shade of red as the sun set behind the horizon. It set his hair and jewelry ablaze with a red glow. Emma looked at him through the corner of her eye. She'd been reinforcing the knots in the sheets* in preparation for the night, which promised to be rather windy. 

" I don't have to answer that." 

" Aye… you don't have to." Jack Sparrow repeated under his breath, half to himself. He shifted his weight from one foot to the other as a silence descended between the two, then checked a (working) compass, and called for Mr. Gibbs to take the helm. Emma watched him head below deck, probably to his cabin and sat back with a large sigh. 

_" How much longer can I keep this up?" _She thought._" Everyone wants to ask questions that I can't answer! I hate being so secretive… but if they found out I'm sure they'd just throw me off the ship_." She laughed bitterly to herself."_ Probably walk the plank…yeah- like that would do me any good at all_." She set to rechecking all the ropes again with renewed vigor." _They'll find out eventually. It's only a matter of time. I had hoped that I could assert some kind of place among the crew as a pirate myself, then I would have a chance to reason with them… but with the way things are going, we'll be back from Hell Water by the time that happens! I can't keep up this charade forever. Maybe I should just get it over with and deal with the consequences._" 

She stood up and headed down the steps to the door leading into Jack Sparrow's Cabin. She paused in front of it; hand poised to knock, then turned away at the last instant and ran across the length of the boat until she found herself in the bow. She sat down with her back against the Foremast and leaned her head back, breathing the salty sea air in through her nostrils, trying to calm her nerves. 

" _Maybe I'll do it tomorrow."_

_~*~*~*~*~_

The next day was beset with difficult weather conditions. The wind was strong and erratic and rain sprayed down on the crew as they hurried about the ship reinforcing the sails and checking the lines. Elizabeth and Will worked at repairing a torn sail high up across the topmast. Jack spent his time at the helm, fighting the roaring waves. Emma had no time for her own worries, she carried rope from one end of the ship to the other, securing lines and providing help where asked. When the weather began to get too treacherous, she was ordered below. She did not argue. 

The next day was similar but not as severe, and the day after milder still. They all ran together in a confused jumble, no one got much sleep, but the overall attitude of the crew was surprisingly elated. They fought against the elements with vigor and were well attuned to the workings of the ship, determined to not give into Mother Nature. Mother Nature could have easily won, if she'd put up a good enough fight, but this round went to the crew aboard _The Black Pearl_. 

Emma counted three days before life on deck went back to a semi-normal state of idleness. The crew lounged about in the warm sunshine, taking this opportunity to relax, drinking rum and singing. A few kept to necessary posts, but took part in the merriment. She, Elizabeth, and Anamaria sang along in harmony with them. 

We extort, we pilfer, we filch, and sack,   
Drink up, me 'earties, yo ho. 

Maraud and embezzle, and even highjack,   
Drink up, me 'earties, yo ho! 

Jack's voice carried loudly from the helm as he sang the chorus. He waved a mug around over his head and the pirates on deck smacked their mugs together. They were not drunk, but getting there. Mr. Gibbs took the helm when Jack went into his cabin, probably in search for his reserve casket. Emma stood up quickly. Despite her resolve to never drink again, she had given in to one glass of rum, which was enough to make her giddy, but certainly not drunk and on the verge of passing out. She'd been thinking all morning about her problem of secrecy. Luckily the past few days had kept people busy enough to not ask her questions, but this day gave her a good opportunity to talk to Jack Sparrow, and she would not waist it. The alcohol that clouded her mind helped to assuage her worries, and gave her the courage to do what she knew needed to be done. 

" I have to ask Jack something." She announced to Elizabeth. Who lounged with her back against Will's chest. They sat together, happy to get a moment of relaxation after the trying weather." I'll be back in just a moment." 

They watched her head towards the stern and knock on Jacks door. 

Elizabeth craned her head to glance at Will." Something has been bothering me." She said. 

" Oh?" 

" There's more to Emma than meets the eye. I'm sure of it. She's hiding something." 

" Well, that's pretty obvious, I think the whole crew knows it, but they don't press it." Will said softly into her ear. 

" Yes, but…" 

" It's her business, Elizabeth, not ours." 

Elizabeth shook her head and sighed." I can't shake this feeling I'm getting… it just feels… uncomfortable." 

" Uncomfortable?" 

" Like… something bad will happen." 

Will put his arms around her and hugged her reassuringly. Elizabeth leaned her head against his shoulder. " Well, if something bad does happen, I'll protect you." 

She laughed and glanced up at him, her hair ornaments glinted brightly in the sunlight." That's also my line." 

~*~*~*~*~

Emma knocked on the door to Jack's cabin and waited. 

She heard a faint shuffle and his voice, " Come in." 

She opened the door and stepped in boldly, closing it behind her in one swift motion. Jack stood in the middle of the room, holding a second casket of rum in one hand as she had predicted. 

" Jack Sparrow!" She said haltingly, advancing towards him, for her heart was racing. "_ Oh God… how am I going to even say it?"_

" Captain… Captain!" He corrected her. 

She continued her reckless advance, ignoring his comment." I have something I need to tell you, I—" 

In that instant, several things all happened at once. Emma's foot hit a fold in the carpet, which was sticking up a good two or so inches from the ground, she tripped and fell forward, straight into Jack, who dropped his casket of rum in order to catch her. Her momentum sent both of them sprawling onto the floor. She lay completely on top of him with Jack's arms encircling her, pinning her own arms between their bodies. Silence descended in the cabin with the exception of the sound of the rolling rum casket and a dull thud as it hit the far wall.

Emma just stared down at Jack Sparrow's face in shock, wondering what in the world had she just done THIS time and how in the world was she going to correct it. Jack gazed up at her inquisitively, not bothering to let go of his hold. 

" If you wanted me so badly, you didn't have to pretend to trip." Then gave a slight grimace. " You could have just said something and spared me the bump I'm going to have on the back of my head." 

Emma blinked, his words taking time to sink in. Then their precarious position dawned on her and she squirmed to get up. "Let go of me!" 

He didn't budge. She exerted every muscle she had to the furthest of her strength, but it did no good. She exhaled in frustration, and gazed down into his deep brown, coal-rimmed eyes with a mixture of fear and anger. He looked up at her intensely in that moment, and their eyes locked. Her struggle abated quickly as she found herself overwhelmed by his gaze. She could see herself clearly in his eyes, and for a fleeting moment thought about how incredibly good looking he was. 

" What is it? Do I have something strange on my face?" Jack asked her in a gruff tone.

And then she did something she never thought she'd do, and completely without thinking…She kissed him. 

It wasn't just any kiss; she kissed him with such passion, and ardor that it took her breath away. He smelled of a mixture of sea salt and fresh air and tasted like rum. After a second, He opened his mouth and returned it with equal fervor. They kept their lips locked for what seemed to Emma like an eternity, and when she finally drew back, opened her eyes and looked at him, he was gazing at her with a mildly interested expression. She wondered in that instant, if he was going to laugh at her. 

" That's very interesting." He finally said after a moment. 

She furrowed her brows, taken off guard by his comment. " What is?" 

" You're a very good kisser. I admit I was wondering…" 

She opened her mouth, trying to think of a suitable retort, but in that instant, the door to Jack's Cabin slammed open. 

" Captain!" 

Emma recognized the voice of Will Turner, and felt her entire face go beet red. 

" Yes?" Jack said nonchalantly, not bothering to move from his spot on the ground and despite her best efforts to escape, continuing to hold onto her with ease. 

There was a moment of hesitation from Will, and Emma thought that if there had been ground underneath them, she might wish to be swallowed up and die of embarrassment. Finally, he spoke. "Anamaria has spotted a ship off the starboard side. It's still a fair distance, but she thinks it might be a trading vessel." 

Jack's eyes lit up in that instant and his voice took on a good-humored ring." Tell the mates that I'll be there shortly." 

" Aye…" Will said, then there was another short pause, and Emma heard the door behind them close. She gazed down at Jack in alarm. 

" Too bad, darling…" Jack said, continuing to trap her eyes with his intense gaze." We'll have to continue this later." He released his hold on her and she sprang up to her feet. She stood still, not knowing what to say and feeling unbearably awkward. He took his time standing up, straightened his bandana and then snatched his hat from the top of his desk and planted it firmly on his head. Then, he gave her a wink and swaggered out of the room in his usual style. Emma just stood in the center of the room, completely dumbstruck.

_" He is a great kisser too…"_ She found herself admitting, then shook her head and clutched her skirts to her with balled fists. "_What the hell did I just do?"_ She thought. _" I kissed him! Kissed Captain Jack Sparrow_!"

The encounter had gone in the completely opposite direction from where she'd wanted to take it. And what was worse, she hadn't accomplished anything except make Jack think she wanted him! 

" _But you do want him."_ A little voice in her head admitted. Emma paled, gazing down at the ground and noticed the little fold in the carpet that had caused all this chaos. She kicked it down angrily. " _How in the world do I keep on getting beaten by him!?"_ She thought testily. "_Every thing I try and do he always up's me one! First it was the whole situation with the map, then that ordeal in Tortuga, and now this? That bloody… PIRATE_!" 

She turned and stalked out of the room, wondering if this was some kind of horrible nightmare. " _Or…_" she mused, still tasting the traces of rum from his lips, "_A very unusual dream."_

*sheets- a term for ropes used to secure the sails


	6. To Pillage and Plunder

**Pirates of the Caribbean – The Secret of Hell Water**

(A/N- Arr!! Another chapter do be up— so read it or walk the plank! And **_review_** your weasely black guts out! ^^;;)

**_Chapter 6- To Pillage and Plunder_**

There was a crowd on the starboard side of the boat.  People shuffled out of the way to make a clear space for Jack Sparrow to move to the railing.  Mr. Gibbs was peering out at the distant horizon with a telescope.

" Do we know what vessel it is yet?" Jack asked, holding his hand out for the telescope, which Mr. Gibbs gave over with a shrug.

" To far to tell yet, Captain… but one thing be for sure, it ain't no pirate vessel." 

Jack looked through the telescope, and found the ship in question sailing downwind from them at, he guessed, about 15 miles due east.  True enough to Gibbs' proclamation; the ship was lacking the defining skull and cross bones flag that declared it a pirate vessel.  He squinted, and made out a flash of red and blue in the sails.

" It's from Britain." Jack said, "It's probably on its way home."  He turned his back to the horizon and gave the crew a roguish smile, resting the telescope over his shoulder. "What do you say mates?"

Smiles alighted the faces of several of the pirates at this fortunate news.  The ship was probably laden with goods from the Caribbean islands, and making its way home for distribution.

" Pieces of Eight!" Squawked the parrot perched on Cottons shoulder. " Wind in the sails!" Several of the pirates shouted encouragements to this remark.

" Arr! That ship is right for the picking!" Yelled Ladbroc. 

" Cotton's Parrot is right!  t'would be a shame to let all that fine booty go to the Brits!" asserted Quartetto.

There was another round of agreement from the pirates.

Captain Jack Sparrow regarded all the faces around him. By this time, Emma had joined the throng; she had anticipation written all over her face.  Elizabeth stood next to Will, her mouth turned down in displeasure.  Jack took a deep breath.

" On deck ye raucous pack of seadogs!  Full sails! Rack out the oars! Ready yer cutlasses!  Moises, get the grappling hooks out of the hold!  We'll board her and take her for everything she's worth!"

An enormous cheer went up from the assembly with the sole accept ion of Elizabeth. She gave Will a dark look, and the cheer on his lips died instantly.  The crowd dispersed, eager to fulfill the Captains orders, leaving Elizabeth, Will, and Emma as the only stationary people on deck. Elizabeth glared at Jack, Will hung by her side, not sure what to do, but knowing danger when he saw it. And Emma, because she wasn't sure what she was supposed to do, and she was still too flustered over the unexpected kiss to think of much else. 

Jack regarded the dark look on Elizabeth's face with little concern.

" Jack Sparrow!" Elizabeth marched up to him and tossed her head of beaded braids in defiance. "Do you sincerely intend to prey upon that trading ship?"

" Aye." Jack said, completely unabashed.  

Elizabeth stepped closer to him, staring into his coal-rimmed eyes with as much determination in her countenance she could muster.  " A treasure greater than any you could ever imagine is sitting in Hell Water as we speak," She gesticulated angrily.  "And you're risking your life and those of your crew for a measly ship filled with who knows what? Don't you think that's getting off track from our goal?"

" Off track?" Jack repeated, he thought over this for a moment, and then shot her a roguish grin, displaying all the varieties of metal decorating his teeth. " We're pirates, love!  It's in our blood!  When you see a dress you like, don't you want to buy it?"

Elizabeth blinked, taken aback at the change in subject, and after a moment answered, "Yes?"

"Well, the same rules apply! When we see a ship we like, we want to pillage it!"

"That's completely different! I'm not hurting anyone when I want to buy a dress!" Elizabeth said angrily.  " Can't you just leave it alone?"

 Jack's smile faded off his face and was replaced with a contemplative frown. "Leave it alone?" He turned and looked off towards the speck in the distance that was by now a tiny bit bigger. Then turned back on his heel to look at her, swaying dangerously as he did so. " But… it would be so much fun. I would hate to let this opportunity pass us by." He said with sincerity. "I'm sorry, love, but I'll have to refuse your request. Besides… I've already given the orders. What kind of a Captain would I be if I didn't stick to what I said?" He shrugged as if to say, _"That's how it is!_" And dismissing the argument from his mind, started to make his way towards the helm.  Elizabeth cut him off instantly.

" If you do this, I'll take no part in it!" She replied vehemently.  Will glanced from one face to the other, not sure if he should get involved. Emma, in an effort to look like she was not eavesdropping, had managed to find great interest in tying and retying all the knots in the ropes attached to the grappling hooks, which sat in a neat arrangement on the starboard side of the ship. 

Captain Jack Sparrow shot an obvious look of annoyance at Elizabeth. Then rolled his eyes and gestured to Mr. Gibbs, who came to stand before them in a sprightly manner.

" Aye, Captain?"

" Take Mrs. Turner and lock her in the brig until we're through with our little 'side trip.'"

" What?!" Cried both Elizabeth and Will simultaneously.  Emma's head jerked up, all her attention on Jack in that instant.

Jack turned on his heel to regard them both.  " You both agreed when you came aboard that you would follow my orders. Aye?"

Elizabeth and Will glanced at each other, then looked back at Jack, who waited patiently with hands held up to his chin, palms pressed together.  

" Yes…" They both agreed half-heartedly.

"Then…" continued Jack, directing his intense gaze to Will.  " If you remember correctly… when we first set sail all those years ago, I said that there are only two rules in this cruel, heartless world that matter... What a man 'can do' and what he 'can't.' And so—" Jack gestured to Elizabeth.  " I can let her ignore my command and do as she wishes…" He nodded to Elizabeth curtly, who gave a snort and turned her head away. Jack shrugged and returned his penetrating gaze to Will. " But I can't risk loosing the respect of my crew, who would see such an act as a weakness of my upstanding immoral character and thus, risk mutiny and the fate of my ship… again. Savvy?" 

No one spoke, and after a moment, Jack glanced at Mr. Gibbs, who nodded solemnly and took a step towards Elizabeth.  Will quickly drew his sword and stood in front of her.

"You will not lock Elizabeth in the brig!" He said with a ring of challenge in his voice. 

Jack rolled his eyes and gave a vague but angry gesture with both hands.  " Fine! Where would you have me lock her up then?"

Will blinked back startled. " Where?"

" Yes, if not in the brig, then where?"

" It's okay, Will." Elizabeth put a hand on his shoulder, and Will reluctantly lowered his sword. 

" Don't worry, darling." Jack said with a flourish.  " We wouldn't dream of leaving you all alone while we have all the fun, Emma can keep you company."

" Me?!" Emma said loudly and everyone turned to look at her startled.  She took a step back, flustered and embarrassed at her outburst.  She'd given away the fact that she'd been eavesdropping the entire time.  " But…uh…" She bit her lip, then took a deep breath and looked at Jack angrily. "I want to help you pillage that ship!"

" Arr… You may be a strong young woman, Miss Emma…" Mr. Gibbs interjected.  "But yer no pirate! Ye don't know what's on that ship; it could be dangerous for ye. And what's more… if ye do find yourself in a pinch, you could put the lives of the mates in danger."

" I…!" She tried to argue, shifting her gaze to Jack's face. " …But!!" She trailed off, grinding her teeth in frustration. Mr. Gibbs had a point, as much as she hated to admit it.

Jack Sparrow regarded her with an amused expression. " Yes, and you see… you're also a _guest_ aboard my ship, love. I have a responsibility to see you safe to Hell Water and back. I can't be allowing you to take such risks, it's against the Pirate Code."

"It is?" Gibbs looked at Jack confused. Jack shot him a look of warning, and Gibbs quickly recovered, coughing slightly. "It is! Yes—of course! I'd almost forgotten…"

Emma pursed her lips, thinking, "_Now he's rubbing in the guest thing again… that bloody rascal!_" She straightened her posture, "_Fine…let them think they're so smart._" Then she spoke aloud. "Okay, do what you wish, I only have one request."

" What is that, love?" replied Jack

" If you insist on treating me as a _guest_," she said the word acidly.  " The least you could do is lock us somewhere comfortable, like your cabin."

Jack glanced at Gibbs, who shrugged and said, "It's yer call, Captain."

Jack looked back at Emma, and then glanced at Elizabeth, who was staring dagger eyes at him. Then opened his mouth to give his reply when a voice from above interrupted him.

"Captain!" 

Jack looked up to see Cursar, who was perched on the Main Top. 

" Captain! We're coming up on her, starboard side!" he called down excited.

Jack glanced over his shoulder to confirm, and a smile broadened his face.  He shouted orders to the crew.  " Rack in the oars! Stand by to board!" He shouted. 

There was an audible confirmation from the crew.  Jack glanced back at the two unsettling female countenances, both looking at him with loathing.  He gave an audible sigh, tapping the telescope against his shoulder impatiently. "Mr. Gibbs? Please see the ladies to my cabin and make sure they're secure."

" Aye, Captain."

Jack watched as Mr. Gibbs led Elizabeth and Emma away. Then turned to Will. 

"Will…"

 Will snapped his gaze away from Elizabeth and regarded Jack. There was a worried frown decorating his handsome features.  

Jack tossed back his head and stared at him down the bridge of his nose. The wind blew in a sudden gust, setting his wild hair in motion about his face.  The loose ends of his red bandana fluttered frantically behind him, and the sun glinted brightly off the medallions in his hair, as well as his metallic teeth when he finally spoke.

" I've asked you before to trust me." He said.  "But it seems I've yet to reach through that thick skull of yours. If we're going to get through Hell Water alive, I'll need the cooperation of every hand on my ship.  It will do no good for any soul on board if there's any discord. I'm quite sure none of us will survive if that happens. And so I'll be asking you the same question I asked four years ago… can you sail under the command of a pirate, or can't you?"

Will returned Jacks gaze steadily, and nodded. " Aye."

" Good!" Jack's frown turned to a grin.  "Then, if you pull your sword on me again in such a manner, I'll see ye walk the plank. Savvy?"

" Aye, Captain." Will said without hesitation, his hand tightened on the hilt of his sword. " And if you threaten Elizabeth again, I'll kill you…Savvy?" 

"Aye, mate." Jack held out his hand, which Will took and they shook their silent bargain.  

"Well, with that business all taken care of…" Jack turned away, trailing off as he spoke partially to himself, and partially to Will.  He walked with a dancing, swaggering stride up the steps to the Helm, swinging his arms about carelessly as he did so.   He took the wheel from Anamaria with a roguish grin.  She rolled her eyes and stalked away to find her cutlass in preparation for the boarding.  

Will watched Jack saunter up to the Helm.  He didn't regret what he'd done, it was a natural reflex to protect Elizabeth when any sort of threat loomed.  But now, he did see Jack's point. They were crew on his ship, and he was Captain. Will and Elizabeth had agreed to sail under his command with full knowledge of Jack's disreputable character.  They knew his colorful list of crimes, but the strange thing was, Will trusted Jack, probably more than any other man he knew.  Jack was smart.  Will didn't know if all the swaying and staggering about was really part of his character or a ruse that he used to throw off his enemies. But whatever it was, it made you weary of him.  He was unpredictable, dishonest, a scoundrel, a rogue and a pirate… but he was also a good man where it counted. Will found that he admired him more than he would care to admit.  By use of his wit and unusual grace, Jack had managed to quell the dangerous argument with little difficulty.  He brought Emma into it as a source for distraction from the challenge that Will had wrought. And in the end, Jack did not loose face in the eyes of his crew because the matter had been resolved to his own liking, with little in the way of consequence for those who had caused the discord.  The two women were only temporarily locked in his cabin until the pillaging was complete, and Will had been saved from a one-way ticket to a deserted island in the middle of the Caribbean.   Yes… Captain Jack Sparrow was a brilliant man.

 His thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a loud call from above.  " READY THE HOOKS!" Someone shouted.  There were loud-voiced responses from the pirates that had taken up position on the starboard side of the ship.  

_The Black Pearl_ was almost upon its prey. 

Will saw people running about the decks of the helpless little ship to and fro.  It seemed that they had given up hope of outdistancing the pirate vessel, for no ship in the Caribbean could match _The Black Pearl_ for speed, as it was well known. So instead, they appeared to be trying to ready their canons in a last, desperate attempt at the defense of their cargo.

The suspense was building to a climax.  The pirates were poised in the rigging with boarding ropes entwined around one hand and a cutlass in the other. Those on deck held grappling hooks with ease, swinging them about their shoulders in dangerous arcs with daggers between their teeth. The air was ablaze with anticipation.  It sent Will's heart pounding in his chest.  He never thought in all his life that he would pillage a trading ship.  Especially while sailing under the flag of a pirate. But here he was.  And he had to admit, as much as it was frightening, it also sent a tremor of excitement through him that he couldn't quite describe.

" READY TO BOARD ME MATEYS!?" Captain Jack Sparrow's voice shouted above the roar of the waves and the blood pounding in Will's ears.

The pirate's voices rose in thunderous confirmation. Will was among them. "AYE CAPTAIN!"

Jack shouted again. "TAKE WHAT YOU CAN!" And he threw the helm hard to the left, _The Black Pearl_ pulled alongside the small, helpless ship

" GIVE NOTHING BACK!" They roared with elation as they descended on their prey like vultures to the kill.

*~*~*~*~*~*~

Emma and Elizabeth sat with ears pressed against the door of Jack Sparrow's Cabin, listening intently as the Pirates yelled their challenge to the ship.

" I can't believe that Jack Sparrow!" Elizabeth said angrily.  "That ship has nothing to do with Hell Water or the treasure."

Emma looked at Elizabeth, not wanting to excite her anger, but also feeling slightly defensive of Jack's stance. 

" You can't say that you couldn't see this coming… Jack is a pirate after all." She said, trying to sound innocent and conversational.  "If you know his character as well as you claim, why did you come on this voyage?"

Elizabeth shot a look at Emma. For a moment, Emma thought she would say something nasty in return. But Elizabeth caught her breath, let out a long sigh and shook her head.

" Honestly… he can pillage to his black hearts content for all I care… it's just that…" She trailed off, biting her lower lip, then glanced at Emma and finally said.  "I have a bad feeling."

"A… what?" 

" A bad feeling! Okay?" Elizabeth said heatedly, and then looked at Emma with determination.  "Something bad will happen… Or is going to happen. I'm afraid that they shouldn't be pillaging that ship."

Emma paled. "How do you know?"

She pursed her lips, regarding Emma carefully, and then said.  " I don't know, things don't feel right.  You—"

Emma stiffened.

" You… there's something different about you—just who are you?"

Emma swallowed hard. She had intended for Jack to be the first one who knew the truth… but maybe if she told Elizabeth, then Elizabeth would be able to bring better incite into how the crew might react.  Or, would she even believe her?

" Well… you see—I---"

Suddenly, a giant BOOM was heard and both girls lost their balance, falling on the floor hard as the ship rocked perilously back and forth. 

" Oh no!" Elizabeth cried. 

Emma scrambled to her feet and peered out a tiny porthole on the starboard side, standing on her toes. She craned her head and gasped

"There are English soldiers on that boat!!"

"What!?" Elizabeth lunged for the window next to Emma's and peered out. "They weren't there when we were approaching! There was no sign of them!" 

" Jack's crew is totally outnumbered!"

Shouts and sounds of metal clashing against metal could be heard, and the occasional gun shot. Elizabeth jumped back from the window with an exclamation of dismay.  "Oh God! It's him!"

"Who?"

Elizabeth's face had drained of color; she looked at Emma with horror-filled eyes.  " Commodore Norrington…"

Emma stared at her as Elizabeth ran to door and rammed into it with all her might.  It didn't budge.

"Who's that? Elizabeth! Tell me!"

Elizabeth banged her fists against the hard wood, pulling and pushing at the latch on the door, while saying in a hurried manner…"Ever since Jack Sparrow gave him the slip twice, all those years ago, he's been absolutely obsessed with capturing him!  He would go to every length to get his hands on that pirate." She grabbed a chair and threw it against the door, the chair broke apart, but the door still didn't budge. Elizabeth stamped her foot in frustration.  " Damn that bloody pirate Jack Sparrow! He had to lock us up… Norrington must have used the trade ship for bait in the hopes of luring him. I bet the people on deck trying to get their canons ready so last minute was all just a big ruse too.  He new _The Black Pearl_ would catch up… Oh God! What if he captures Will?  He might hang him this time! Emma! Help me, maybe if we both run at the door then we might be able to--" 

Elizabeth looked behind her and trailed off as she noticed Emma wasn't where she'd last seen her.  For a moment, she appeared to have vanished, but upon a slower scan of the room, Elizabeth saw her perched on the far windowsill. The window had been unlatched and now was wide open. The girls' shoes and stockings were in a scattered pile on the ground beside her. 

A gust of wind sent Emma's skirts whipping about her in a frenzy.  She had a dirk in one hand that she'd snatched from the top of Jack Sparrow's desk and slid it securely into a garter on her left thigh.  Her long honey colored hair danced about her face wildly as she made ready to jump. 

" Emma!" Elizabeth lunged forward with one arm outstretched.  "What are you doing?"

Emma didn't hear her. All the thoughts in her head were focused on one thing.  Jack and his crew were in trouble.  Without hesitation, she dove out of the window, angling her body downwards with toes expertly pointed and palms pressed together over her head.  She landed in the water with barely a splash.

Elizabeth reached the window just a heartbeat later.  She watched desperately for some sign of the woman to surface, but none came.  Then another canon boomed and rocked the ship, almost sending her through the window after Emma.  Elizabeth managed to regain her balance. Then she shook her head in frustration.  "_Emma must know what she's doing." _she told herself.  " _I have to trust that she'll be able to take care of herself._"  As far as she knew all the pirates had boarded the trade ship, so there was no one on _The Black Pearl_ to return the canon-fire except her.  Desperately hoping that Will was okay, she leaned out of the open window and caught hold of some of the scaffolding decorating the stern of the vessel.  With a grunt, she hoisted herself up and out of the Captain's Quarters, and began a perilous ascent towards the gallery above.


	7. The Commodore's Trap

**_Pirates of the Caribbean – The Secret of Hell Water_**

****

_(A/N- Ughhh—I've got such a case of allergies today… so feel special that I'm finishing up this chapter when I could be sleeping and happily drugged instead! I was planning to put it up tonight and didn't want to wait.  =)  _

_Here's a little picture I drew: __  (cut and paste- fanfic.net doesn't let me post links, it seems…) Hee hee… ^^; for all you Jack Sparrow fans out there…it's silly!_

****

**_Chapter 7- The Commodore's Trap_**

_The Black Pearl_ pulled up next to the seemingly helpless little British trading ship.  The pirates bellowed out their challenges, as grappling hooks were thrown over and secured.  They pulled _The Pearl_ closer and the crew in the rigging swung on long boarding ropes, cutlasses brandished and ready to cut down any who would oppose them.  

The pirates boarded.  The crew that was aboard the smaller vessel tried their best to fight off the onslaught.  But their skills were not up to par with those of the experienced marauders.  Jack swung on board the ship, landing with a little stagger in his usual ungraceful manner. 

" Everyone!" He shouted about the commotion, holding his sword out and ready, Will was at his back in a second, ready to fight any who would dare challenge Jack. "We're taking over this ship! So surrender calmly and I promise I will spare your insignificant lives!"   

" We'll never surrender!" Came a challenging voice. Jack looked up and regarded a man he assumed must be the captain by his jaunty, feathered hat and clean black boots.  He smiled and held his sword at the ready as the Captain lunged towards him.  Jack parried easily. He could hear Will fighting behind him with another crewmember.

" Try not to hurt them too much, mate." Jack said to Will, moving forward a few steps, forcing the captain into a defensive position. " We're only here for the booty, after all."

"Aye!" Will acknowledged Jack's comment and promptly disarmed his opponent.  The sword he'd been using flew through the air and into the water.

Jack and the Captain danced back and forth in battle.  Jack knew he could beat the captain easily, but he admitted he had not had such sport in a while, and was enjoying getting the opportunity to practice on someone who, he admitted, was rather a skilled swordsman.

"I admit, you're pretty good." He said, sidestepping a low swipe and laying into the captain again with a skillful lunge, disarming his opponent and raised his sword to the captain's throat.  "But not good enough."

" You won't get away with this, black rogue!" The captain said defiantly.

" Black rogue am I? No- I'm Captain Jack Sparrow! And the cargo on this ship is now property of _The Black _Pear and those who sail her!"  He said with a tiny bow, and then raised his head to regard the situation of the other crewmembers.

It seemed that the trade ship's Captain had been the last to stand his ground, all the rest of his crew had been defeated and were standing in an awkward huddle, intimidated and surrounded by the threatening faces of Jack's crew.  

The captain grimaced as the pirates echoed Jack's declaration with triumph. 

" Tie them up," Jack ordered, sheathing his sword, "then go below and look for the spoils."

The pirates did as they were told, tying the crew in a rough circle around the mainmast with a sturdy piece of rope.

" I wonder what sort of booty awaits below?" said Moises anxiously.

" I hope they have a keg of brandy! Or even better, maybe some good port!" Said another as they eagerly made way to the main hatch and its ladder leading down to the hold.

Jack made a crooked beeline towards the stern of the boat and the captain's cabin with Will close by his heels 

" This was easier than I thought." Said Will, his voice rung with anxious excitement.  " I was sure we'd have to fight our entire way below deck."

" Not often." Said Jack conversationally.  " See, it's all in the way you carry yourself.  Just the stories alone of _The Black Pearl_ strike fear into the heart of every sailor. This lot didn't have enough fight in them from the beginning; they were too scared of us.  That's the best way to take advantage of a situation, savvy?  People are incredibly gullible, they'll believe anything you tell them if you build up as despicable a reputation as I have.  How do you think I've managed to stay alive all these years? By luck?"

Will remembered Elizabeth once saying that Jack had spent a total of three days on the deserted island the first time he'd been marooned.  He'd done little but drink rum and wait for the Rum traders to come and pick him up.  But the stories about him that were passed around from tavern to tavern said a variety of different kinds of stories, each more unbelievable than the last. From riding a raft of sea turtles to dealings with the devil himself… He certainly used such colorful stories to his advantage- that was Captain Jack Sparrow for you.

" Why are you telling me all this?" Will asked as they reached the door to the cabin.

Jack paused with his hand on the door latch and glanced back at Will with one eyebrow raised in consideration.  " I don't really know." 

Then he opened the door and the grin on his face faded at what he found inside.  

What Jack saw was none other than Commodore Norrington. This haughty English soldier had been after Jack and his ship for the last four years since Jack had given him the slip at Port Royal.  Jack wished never to come in such close contact with the Commodore ever again, particularly because what the Commodore desired more than anything else in the world was to see a rope around Jack's neck.  Now, Jack's worst enemy stood right in the doorway…front and center with a pistol cocked and ready.  That pistol was pointed straight between Jacks eyes.

Will stiffened, sword out and at the ready in a flash.  Jack stood frozen with both eyes focused down the barrel.  The effect made him look strangely cross-eyed.  Suddenly a great shout rang out from the deck and the clash of steel on steel was heard. Will risked a quick glance back.  

The pirates that had opened the Hatch to the hold below had also had an unexpected surprise. It seemed their hopeful cargo, instead riches or alcohol as they'd hoped, turned out to be none other than an entire regiment of Red Coated soldiers.  They poured out of the hatch like a wave upon the unsuspecting pirates.  A great hurrah arose from the ships crew tied about the mainmast. They'd been waiting for this moment since Jack had declared his triumph over their ship.

" Norrington…" Will hissed the word through his teeth with disgust.  "It's not like you to use such underhanded tricks…"

" Well…" The Commodore said with an amused tone of voice, not taking his eyes off of Jack.  " You can hardly expect me to catch a pirate any other way, can you? They're so positively underhanded themselves… it seems the logical course of action." 

Will thought for a moment that the Commodore must be so focused on Jack; he didn't even realize it was Will that had talked to him.  

Jack and Will stepped back slowly as Norrington advanced on them.  A ring of soldiers poured out from the doorway behind him, and encircled the two pirates with swords drawn and at the ready. The Commodore did not allow the gun he held on Jack to slip even the slightest from its aim as he walked.  

" I knew you wouldn't be able to resist plundering such a helpless little trading vessel, Jack Sparrow." He said pompously. 

" _Captain_…_Captain_ Jack Sparrow." Jack interjected, taking his eyes off the pistol as he did so and raised his hands up, palms pressed together to reinforce his statement.

The Commodore shrugged off his correction with indifference. " So, I took the liberty of coming aboard, along with a regiment of soldiers from Port Royal."

" That was very smart of you." Jack said, shifting his gaze from the Commodore to the gun and back nervously.  " Well, cheers to you mate, you've got me."

" Yes… and… what is this?" The Commodore said, finally shifting his gaze to Will in honest surprise, the point of the pistol angled down unintentionally as he did so.  " It couldn't be… Will Turner? Does Elizabeth know what you've been up to, my boy?  Keeping in company with such…despicable, black hearted rogues as these?" 

" Thank you." Jack interjected with a tiny bow, then fell back nervously, gazing cross-eyed down the barrel of the pistol again as the Commodore reoriented its aim between his eyes.

" Don't move, pirate." He said perilously.

Then, he regarded Will again and his eyebrows rose as he asked his question again.  " Does Elizabeth know what you're doing?"

" Yes… and she's fully supportive of it." Will said defiantly.

The Commodore shook his head ruefully. " Tsk tsk…she'll be heartbroken nevertheless, I'm sure.  I can't excuse you from such careless actions three times; it would start to make me look soft… I think."

" I don't think you look soft." Jack interrupted in mock sincerity.

The only reaction he got that showed the Commodore even heard him was a twitch of his eye.  But the Commodore did not shift his gaze from Will, or move the angle of the pistol from Jack's face.  " I was hoping you'd clean up your act. But I suppose I was mistaken. Once a pirate, always a pirate…hmm…"

Will narrowed his eyes at the Commodore and glared at him, a nasty comment was on his tongue but he bit it down angrily.  And suddenly with no warning at all, they jumped at the deafening boom of canon fire. 

Jack risked turning his head in consternation to regard the smoke billowing out from the Trade Ship's canons, and _The Black Pearl_ creaking as it rocked back and forth under fire.  His eyes widened and he turned again to the commodore, swinging his head with a look of horror.

The Commodore had turned his eyes to _The Black Pearl_ as well, a smile of smug satisfaction on his face.

"There's no one on that ship to fire on." Jacke said after a pause, narrowing his eyes slightly and inclining his head. He thought of Emma and Elizabeth, but was not willing to give the Commodore any further details. "_Better a death at sea than the hangman's noose…_" he thought, then said aloud.  "Why do you fire on the ship, mate?"

The Commodore gave a satisfied shrug.  " I'll sink that accursed ship to the bottom of the sea and have done with it. I've realized long ago it's impossible to try and catch the thing full sail.  But not if you have it sitting right where you want it." He paused with an audible sniff.  " With no ship, there can be no _Captain _Jack Sparrow… can there? And no way of escape… _this time_."

Jack noticed that through the ring of soldiers guarding himself and Will, the sword fighting behind him had died down.  The two captives circled slowly and Jack saw with dismay that his crew were finally being overpowered.  The pirates had lowered their weapons and were being backed into a ring reluctantly.

" Shall we take them below, now, Commodore?" 

The Commodore's junior officer, Lieutenant Gillette had run up and asked the question while Jack gazed at his crew in dismay. 

"No…" The Commodore said idly.  " Not yet, I want them to see their ship sink to… what do you call it?" He looked at Jack inquisitively, then his eyes alighted and he gave a sardonic smile.  "Davey Jones' Locker?"

            This last remark was punctuated with another canon blast, and _The Black Pearl _rocked back and forth once again, helplessly attached to the small trade vessel with it's canon's ablaze.

            The Commodore nodded to the Lieutenant. " Go below deck, tell them to open full fire on the ship." The lieutenant saluted smartly and turned on his heel to march towards the hatch.  Then the Commodore gestured to one of the soldiers surrounding Jack.

            " Lieutenant Armstrong…" He said stiffly.  " Go and disengage this ship from those grappling hooks." 

            Lieutenant Armstrong obeyed.  Jack listened to the sound of the swords dully slicing through the ropes that attached the trade ship to _The Black Pearl_.  It wouldn't be long before his ship would drift away, cutting off any chance of escape. He guessed, while the black sails were flapping loosely, that they would have no more than about 8 minutes before the ship would be too far away to board.  He counted the number of soldiers surrounding him and Will.  He guessed there were about ten, thought he couldn't see who was behind him.  Even if they'd managed to take them all on, back-to-back with Will's exceptional sword skills, he had little chance of getting very far with that gun pointing in his face.  With a sinking heart, Jack found his possibilities of escape to be rather lacking this time around.

            " Well… Commodore…" Jack said, trying his best to stall for time in order to think of a way out of his unfortunate predicament.  " Seeing as you have the upper hand in this situation, I'd just like to commend you. Really, you caught me completely by surprise." As Jack said this, he swayed about, punctuating each sentence with vague gestures of his hands and gazed with rapt attention at the Commodore's face, which did not budge from its smug expression. Then another canon boom was heard and Jack winced visibly.

            " You'll not distract me, Jack Sparrow." Said the Commodore smoothly.  " I'll not hesitate to pull this trigger if you try anything sneaky… however, it would be a horrible shame to kill you here. I would so much rather see you hang back at Port Royal."

            Jack nodded his head solemnly, the faintest trace of sarcasm in his voice.  " Oh yes… hanging…I had almost forgot…"

Then, he caught a sudden flicker of movement from above. His eyes flickered upward for an instant where the Helm of the ship was located.  And he saw Emma's face peering down at him from her hiding position behind it. Her hair was soaking wet.

"_Strong swimmer_…" He thought dryly. " _No kidding_…"

She glanced down at Jack and nodded her head, signaling silently to him that she was ready with both hands on the wheel.  The soldier that had been previously manning the Helm was in an unconscious heap beside her.

Jack took all this with a single, fleeting glance. Then, he took a deep breath and stepped forward boldly. He abandoned his cowardly posture, and leaned his forehead against the barrel of Norrington's gun.  His dark coal-lined eyes gazed at the Commodore with a rich and rare intensity.  

Despite the Commodore's best attempt, he could not help but shudder under the dark, fearless gaze of _Captain_ Jack Sparrow…

 " However…" Jack said, and the Commodore shuddered, backing up a step. " I'm afraid in all your strategic planning… you've forgotten one very important thing…"

            " And what is that?" Commodore Norrington said trying hard to keep his voice steady.

            Then, Jack straightened up, all traces of his previous face vanished and he inclined his head towards the Commodore.  He displayed a mouthful of glittering teeth and swayed to the side, bringing his arms up in a vague shrug, "I'm Captain Jack Sparrow!"  Then in one swift motion, he turned and grabbed Will by the collar and pulled him down on the ground.

            Emma did not waist a second after she saw this signal.  As Jack had shrugged, he'd waved one hand to her discreetly.  She spun the helm hard to port, causing the ship to turn precariously starboard and consequently, into the gusty wind.  The boom that had been secure just moments ago swung about by this change in the breeze, catching the soldiers by surprise.  Jack and Will had just barely managed to miss it as they ducked down, but the soldiers were not so quick to act.  Half of them were pitched headfirst into the sea, the other half on the opposite side were smashed up against the far railing with cries of surprise and dismay.  The Commodore was among this bunch. 

            Emma could see from her vantage point, that this plan had worked well. Jack and Will wasted no time in jumping to their feet and running to the aid of their crew.  The English soldiers that had encircled the crew of _The Black Pearl_ were in a terrific state of chaos.  They'd been assaulted by the mizzenmast's boom just as The Commodore had been assaulted by the foremasts.  The pirates, so well attuned to the working of the ship, had reacted quickly as they felt the first changes in the orientation of the wind, and they managed to miss getting hit in the head.  Many soldiers lay on the ground, unconscious from the blow, or holding bloody faces and bleeding noses. Those that remained looked about wildly, pointing out Emma, who'd left the Helm and was fending off a soldier with a dirk clutched tight in her right hand.   

Jack regarded her out of the corner of his eye as he laid full into the group of remaining unharmed soldiers.  He admitted that she certainly knew how to use the weapon, and wondered idly to himself _what else_ she could do that she had not told him about.   Then returned his attention to the battle going on before him.  The soldiers, now reduced in numbers, shaken, and caught off guard, tried desperately to fend him and his crew off with their swords.  But Jack's skills were beyond comparison.  He parried and lunged and disarmed one opponent after another, Will was at his back as usual, he'd managed to recover one of his opponents swords, and was fighting, duel bladed, at two soldiers at once with little difficulty.

"Show off…" Jack muttered. " _But… he does have the right idea…_" And then he disarmed his current opponent; the man uttered a cry of despair as his sword flew up out of his hand, spinning wildly in the air.  Jack caught it with his free hand and copied Will's style with ease, taking two more enemies that instantly lunged into him.

Will gave Jack a roguish grin, " Just because I'm married doesn't mean I still don't practice three hours a day."

" When you say it like that, I'm surprised you're still married." Jack said conversationally, dealing a painful slash to one soldier's sword arm, the man dropped to his knees, uttering a cry of pain.  

Jack turned to engage the next opponent, then winced as another great blast of canon fire rocked his ship.

" Damn!" He said through clenched teeth, throwing his gaze towards the hatch that led to the gun deck.  "_I'll have no chance of escape if I let myself get cornered down there…  "_

Jack called out to his comrades.

            " Don't give up!" He yelled above the clash of metal. " Fight to the Port side and when ye can, return to _The Pearl_ or Davey Jones will have ye!"

            As he said this, a great boom echoed in their ears and it was their turn to rock precariously as the Trade Vessel was hit by canon fire. Jack heard the delightful sound of splintering wood and turned in amazement, pausing for a moment as he disarmed another soldier, 

" That canon fire…" He said.  " It can't be…"

It was _The Black Pearl_.  The Soldiers and Pirates both hit the deck for cover as another canon ball blasted its way over their heads and splintered the Mizzenmast.  The huge shaft of wood creaked dangerously and fell at the starboard side, squashing several soldiers who were unfortunate enough to get caught underneath.

            Jack rose to his feet and gazed back at his ship in amazement.  He could see a lone figure on the deck of the ship with light glinting off the beads in her golden hair.

            "It's Elizabeth!" said Will with delight, staggering up besides Jack, wiping the sweat from his brow with his shirtsleeve.

            "Aye…" Jack agreed.  " We might just make it out of this alive, after all." 

            The sound of the Black Pearl's canons gave the pirates heart.  They raised their swords and stepped into the remaining soldiers with renewed vigor. Seeing Will and Jack fighting back to back and easily keeping the tide of the battle in the favor was enough to bring the spirit back into their step.  They yelled their raucous challenges and growled and swore under their breaths at the soldiers.

"Shiver me timbers!" squawked Cotton's parrot over the sounds of battle.  " Wind in the Sails!"

The Pirates yelled out challenges and curses, fearlessly fencing their way towards the port side of the ship. Elizabeth had swung out the board ropes with all her strength, and they began to re-board the Pearl, one by one making it to safety away from the Commodore's trap.

            " READY TO GO FULL SAILS! RACK OUT THE OARS!" Shouted Mr. Gibbs as the pirates one by one fell into stride beside him in safety and ran to their posts in preparation for their escape. 

            Jack fought to fend off the advancing soldiers with Will, covering the crew's escape. It was becoming harder and harder as their fighting force dwindled away from the one ship and boarded the other.  But it gave him heart.  The booming of the canons aboard the Pearl increased in pace as more hands came on deck.  Canon fire from the other ship was returned, but not as frequently. Jack suspected that Elizabeth had taken her first aim at the Gun deck and managed to take out a few of the Commodore's cannon's before she laid into the Mizzenmast. 

            " She'll be telling me 'I told you so…'" he thought smugly, still parrying and slowly backing his way towards the railing of the ship. 

            "Jack!" Will called from behind him. "I have the rope, take it! Get out of here."

            " You go first, Will." Jack said shortly, fending off a sword from one of the soldiers. " Just be quick about it!" He could spare no time to turn his back for an instant.  There were more bloodied soldiers surrounding him than he would care to like.  The Pearl was already starting to pull away. Will just barely managed to clear her deck as he swung aboard.  He swung the rope back to Jack, who perched on the railing precariously while fending off a dangerously low sword swipe from lieutenant Gillette, who was advancing on him. With a quick parry and a thrust, he lifted off the Lieutenants prim white wig and sent it cascading over the side of the ship and into the water.  The Lieutenant dropped his sword with a cry of surprise and put his hands up, vainly trying to cover his bald head.

            " Well, mates!" Jack said, taking this opportunity to his advantage.  " It seems that you've once again _almost_ caught me! It's been a pleasure, but I must be taking my leave—" 

            Suddenly, a gunshot rang past Jack's ear, following a moment later by a burning pain and warm trickle of blood that ran down his neck.  Jack stopped in shock and put his hand up, checking to make sure his right ear was still intact.  He realized that it wasn't his ear that had been hit, but blood was pouring from a gash just above it.  The bullet had grazed the side of his scalp.

" ---Not so fast… Jack Sparrow!"  Commodore Norrington said defiantly over the bustle of the soldiers.  They quickly stepped aside to let him through.  The Commodore limped slightly, his gun aimed once again at Jack.

Jack winced, he could see his ship distancing the gap between them, the sailors would follow the code, and anyone falling behind would be left behind.  He had to jump now or it would be too late. But what he saw next made him hesitate.

The Commodore raised his hand and beckoned to some soldiers to come forward.  And as they did, he saw Emma struggling between them.

"Did you forget someone at the helm, Jack?" Norrington said, mockingly.  " Who is she? A new recruit, perhaps?"

Emma shot a dagger eyed stare at the Commodore.

" No, actually…" Jack said, recovering quickly from his initial shock.  " She came aboard my ship quite unwillingly. We thought we might make some nice sport of her…"

Emma's face dropped another notch from angry to fuming, but she kept her gaze directed at the Commodore. Norrington walked up to her and took one thin wrist, turning it up and over, and then the other, searching for brands or tattoos.  His face reflected his disappointment at finding nothing, and then he shrugged.  " Well then… if you care nothing for her, we will just take her back to Port Royal and hang her in your place.  Even if she isn't a pirate, aiding one carries nearly the same weight of crime."

Emma's face paled, and she glanced at Jack, tugging vainly at her captors.

Jack pursed his lips.  "You know, you have rage issue's, mate… it's really not healthy to take your anger out on a--"

" --Don't change the subject!" The Commodore cut him off.  

Emma pursed her lips.  " Jack… go ahead.  I told you before, I can take care of myself."

Jack paused; she had said the last bit a little too forcefully.  " _What is she up to_?" He thought.

Emma turned to the Commodore, " Before you separate us, I'd like one last request, if the Commodore would be so obliging?" She glanced at the Norrington, feigning a look of simpering innocence.  

Jack wondered if there might be some chance she would pull herself out of this mess after all, and whether or not he should stay to help her.  Against his pirate instincts, he clung on and waited impatiently, not sure why in the world he was risking his neck for this woman.  But somehow, he just couldn't bring himself to let go of the railing.

 The Commodore straightened his back and raised his chin pompously.  " I suppose it wouldn't hurt."

" I'd like to sing you a song." She said softly, redirecting her gaze to Jack.  She opened her eyes wide in that instant with an obvious glance of dire warning, and all traces of doubt flew from Jack's mind. She definitely had something up her sleeve. But… singing?  
            As she said that word, a few chuckles rose up from the soldiers, and the Commodore gave a wry smile.  " C'est l'amore…" he muttered to the soldier behind him, who tried hard not to snigger.

Emma brought her hands up to sweep back the damp locks from her face, and as she did so, she pressed her hands over her ears and shot Jack another warning glance.  Jack inclined his head while keeping his eyes fixed on hers, confused but sure he'd understood her strange command.  He gave the barest hint of a nod, but it was enough for Emma, and she took a deep breath.

            He brought his hands to his ears and covered them just as she let out an ear-piercing shriek.  But this was not any normal scream. It was inhuman.  Even while keeping his ears covered, Jack could not drown out the horrible, wailing, screeching noise that echoed from Emma's unnatural vocal chords.  He could only imagine what the first blow might have done to the soldiers who had not been so prepared.  All the soldiers and the Commodore had instantly cried in pain, putting their hands to their ears and dropping their weapons.  The soldiers and the Commodore sunk to their knees with their faces all contorted in various degrees of agony.  Jack grimaced, he wondered if his crew could hear this, and if it was affecting them as badly. 

It seemed to go on for an eternity, but in reality, Emma had not screamed for more than 5 seconds.   Jack was already beginning to develop a horrible headache. He kept himself precariously balanced on the railing with one boot in front and the other behind, the front boot was the only thing preventing him from tumbling into the water as the ship rocked back and forth. Suddenly, he realized with dismay that he'd let go of the rope when he put his hands to his ears.  It had swung away from him, back towards _The Black Pearl_, who was continuing it's inching crawl away from the Trade Ship.

            Suddenly, the horrible sound vanished. Jack looked up abruptly.  The two soldiers that had once been holding Emma were both writhing in agony on the ground. Emma, now free of her captors, dashed towards him with hands stretched out in front of her. Her face was screwed up with determination.

            The Commodore was quick to recover; he grabbed his pistol, which was in easy reach from his crouching position. And even though his head was splitting too badly to make good aim, he fired a shot point blank in the general direction of Jack Sparrow.

            The shot rang in both their ears, and Jack saw Emma's eyes widen and a look of agony spread across her face. She staggered for a moment, blood quickly spreading from just over her right breast.  Jack realized that his right shoulder was hurting only half a second later.  It burned and with a glance, he knew that the bullet had passed straight through Emma and into him.  

            Jack didn't have any time for further thought though, Emma's momentum from before the shot carried her straight into him.  With a grunt of surprise, his boot slipped from its secure place in front of the railing and he fell heavily backwards.  His hands grabbed for her clumsily in mid air as she clung to the front of his shirt, and they fell ungracefully together head first into the turbulent water below with a large resounding splash.   


	8. Assessing Damages

**_Pirates of the Caribbean – The Secret of Hell Water_**

_(A/N- I haven't written my tremendous thanks to all of you who've been so wonderful as to review! =D I love all of you! *ah-hem* I apologize for the last two cliff hangers… This chapter won't have one- but honestly, where else could I end them? The entire last chapter is one damn long action sequence… I couldn't end it anywhere else! ^^; Be patient, young grasshoppers…I won't abandon this fic.  Now… I will sit back, enjoy my exceptionally strong Manhattan and write… because you know- this just wouldn't be a proper 'PotC' fic if this author didn't get sauced while writing it! (And then go back sober the next day and correct all her alcoholic induced rambling, and wonder where in the hell she thought THAT idea up…)****_

****

**_Chapter 8- Assessing Damages_**

The icy cold water closed over Jack's head as he and Emma took an unexpected dive. He just barely managed to take a deep breath as the impact of the ocean hit, and under the water, he skillfully arched his back and righted himself so his head was pointing towards the surface.  He could see the hull of the trade ship clearly from his underwater perspective, and that of _The Black Pearl_ faded in the distance.  Jack didn't want to risk surfacing so close to the Trade Ship, he did not know if the Commodore was waiting with his soldiers to try and shoot him the moment his head was revealed. 

            These thoughts ran through his head in a fleeting moment, and while keeping a firm grasp on Emma's collar, he started a struggling swim underwater towards the distant shape of The Black Pearl.  

            " _Don't leave yet…"_ He thought desperately while keeping his eyes on his ship's dark hull.  " _Just wait a moment longer…"_

            Emma was creating a difficult drag in the water that was slowing his progress significantly.  He glanced back and laid eyes on her face.  With her hair floating about her head in pale golden waves, and a serene look of peaceful sleep on her face, her body was completely limp under the water.   Blood was streaming from her gunshot wound at an alarming rate and her voluminous skirts were pulling her body down towards the dark, watery depths.

            Then, upon this inspection, he noticed something odd.  Instead of two white little feet peeking out of the bottom of the skirt, there was a tail. 

            He stared at it in shock for a second.

            _" That does explain a lot,"_ he thought.  " _Well… I didn't think undead pirates could exist either… with that comparison, this would seem feasible."_

            He would have sat and contemplated this in more detail if he'd been anywhere but under the water and in danger of loosing his life.  Not wanting to spare any time, but unable to let her go. He allowed himself to sink further down while he tried desperately to tear out the laces that held her dress together. He couldn't very well rise to the surface himself with her dragging him down. She was simply too heavy.  He grabbed for a knife that he'd kept down his boot with the intent of slicing the stubborn laces, but just as his fingertips closed around it's handle, he saw with despair that the blood stopped flowing out of her wound.

            He hung suspended for that moment, slowing sinking, and the sunlight filtering through the water's undulating surface faded to darkness as they made their watery descent. He watched her face, so still and pale and hauntingly beautiful as it slowly fell into shadow, and then with a grimace, he released his grip on her shirt and turned his back to her.  With a powerful thrust of his legs, he shot upwards towards light and the familiar, gently rocking hull of _The Black Pearl_, his lungs feeling like they might explode at any moment.

            Elizabeth and Will were both scanning the surface of the water between the two ships, The Pearl continued it's heavy canon fire on the Commodore.

            " Come on… surface…" Muttered Will hopefully, he and Elizabeth both looked over the starboard railing, searching the rolling waves desperately for any sign of movement.

             " THERE!" Elizabeth exclaimed, pointing as she saw Jack's head with its dirty red bandana and the glint of metal in his hair. He took a terrific gasp of air and waved one heavily ringed hand at them, "THERE'S JACK!!"

            Mr. Gibbs was quick to react, he pitched a rope over the side towards their Captain, who caught it easily with one hand and was hoisted out of the water.   He flew through the air in an ungraceful arc and landed heavily on his feet on the deck of the ship.  He staggered and fell, wincing as he put a hand to his right shoulder. The pinkish stain that had saturated his dripping wet shirt was turning a deeper shade of red with the blood seeping out of his wound.

            A moment later, the sails had been tied off, half the crew was below manning the oars, and _The Black Pearl_ cut through the waves swiftly making its escape from Commodore Norrington's deceitful ship.  The sound of canon fire stopped, and Jack glanced back at it, his dark eyes reflected a burning anger that was hard for Will or Elizabeth to ignore as they crouched beside him.

            " Someday… that man is going to underestimate me… and when he does, he'll find my sword in his spleen!" Jack vowed, and punctuated it with a colorful oath that made Elizabeth's cheeks burn red.

~*~*~

            The Commodore's jaw tightened as he saw Jack spring out of the water and onto the Black Pearl.  Trying his best to act calm, he turned on his heel and regarded Lieutenant Gillette, who was still writhing on the ground with his hands over his ears.

            " Attention men! Open Fire on that ship!" He said audibly over the loud ringing in his ears.

            " WHAT?!" Some of the soldiers had realized the horrible screaming had stopped, and they slowly stood, looking about perplexed, wondering what in the world had just happened, they're ears were ringing too badly to make out any words the Commodore was shouting at them.

            " I SAID!" The Commodore shouted at the top of his lungs. " OPEN FIRE!"

            " YOU'RE A LIAR?" One man shouted back at him, obviously confused. The Commodore shook his head emphatically.

" OPEN FIRE!" His voice peaked with an audible crack. He was loosing the thin grasp he had on his cool demeanor.

" WHAT'S A TIRE?"

" NO!" He exaggeratingly pointed to their guns, then out over the water at _The Black Pearl_, which had already tied off its sails and was rowing away at terrific speed. The soldiers looked crestfallen. 

            "THEY'RE OUT OF OUR RANGE SIR…" One bloody faced lieutenant hollered.

            " WHAT?" The Commodore asked.  Then noticed this fact himself and shook his head angrily. 

They awaited orders, The Commodore took a deep, calming breath, straightened his jacket and his wig, then nodded curtly to Lieutenant Gillette, who just barely noticed everyone was once again on their feet. Gillette sprang up, regarding him nervously.

" SIR?" he yelled.

" ASSESS DAMAGES!" The Commodore screamed.

" WHAT ABOUT CABBAGES?" 

" DAMAGES! DAMAGES!!" 

After several more yelling attempts and sharp hand gestures, the Commodore set his soldiers about the slow job of making ship repairs, fishing his soldiers out of the water, and setting the ships main crew free.  They, with hands tied down had unfortunately been unable to cover their ears when Emma screamed, and were all in a state of unconsciousness.  Norrington looked about the ship grimly, ticking off a 'to do' list in his head which grew longer at every glance. The worst was the Mizzenmast…

 Without the Mizzenmast, the ship would make painfully slow progress to port. It would take weeks before he'd be able to get on Jack Sparrow's tail again.  He pursed his lips, feeling in exceptionally bad spirits, and watched the dark sails of _The Black Pearl_ grow smaller and smaller as they carried off into the distance. 

*~*~*~*~*~*

            Elizabeth and Will sat beside Jack in silence, not really sure about what to do.  Jack glowered at a dark spot on the deck in front of where he sat, he seemed about as untouchable as a hungry shark.  Will shifted his feet uncomfortably and glanced down to Elizabeth, who took a deep breath and put a gentle hand on Jack's good shoulder.  

" Jack? What about Emma?" Elizabeth asked, hesitantly. She could guess well enough Emma's fate, but the reality of it didn't want to sink in.

            Jack's eyes went distant for a moment, and then he shrugged and turned his head to gaze out at the rolling blue waves.  " Sorry, love…" He glanced down at his injured shoulder with a wince.  " She stepped in the way of my bullet..."

            "She's gone down to Davey Jones'…" Mr. Gibbs muttered, overhearing.  He shuddered and shook his head.  " I always said… it was bad luck having a woman on board…"

            " Emma and Elizabeth saved everyone's life!" Will interjected hotly.  " If it wasn't for them, we'd all be on our way to Port Royal and the gallows!"

            Mr. Gibbs gave an apologetic shrug. " By the way… Captain… what was that unholy sound coming from that Trade ship? It almost put the mates in a near panic… it almost did…we all had to cover our--"

            " --Mr. Gibbs!" Jack interjected in a firm, commanding tone.  The first mate straightened abruptly.

            "Aye Captain?"

            " Assess damages to the ship, and inform the crew of… Emma's departure…I want a full report in less than an hour."

            "Aye Captain!" Mr. Gibbs nodded emphatically and hastened away to fulfill his task.

With that taken care of, Jack grimaced and staggered up. He had a splitting headache, not only from the bullet that had grazed the size of his scalp…but also from Emma's strange scream that still echoed faintly in his ears. He would think more about her later though… he had a crew to manage and a ship to care for at the present moment, and his own health to consider.

 Elizabeth and Will hurried to help him, and together they made their way towards his cabin where he set himself down on the bed. He reluctantly began to strip the top layers of his clothing off, revealing the wound.  

            Elizabeth scrutinized it, then after a few moments, shook her head.  " I don't know the faintest thing about taking out bullets…"

            " It's okay," Muttered Jack, wincing as she prodded the tender skin around the opening.  Then, he looked up at Will, who stood solidly, feet planted shoulder width apart, unclenching and clenching his fists.

" Damn, Commodore Norrington!" He said through his teeth.  " He would go so far as to shoot a lady to get through to you… that despicable—"

"Will," Jack interrupted forcefully.  Will closed his mouth and regarded Jack, but smoldering anger was still present on his features.  "Go get Kursar…Tell him I need a bullet removed…and go get something to use as a dressing, will ye mate?"

            Will gave a faint nod of acknowledgement, then turned on his heel and left the room, leaving Elizabeth gazing at the tiny bullet hole.

Dried blood was starting to cake around it.  She couldn't help but notice several other pronounced scars that were scattered about Jack's lean, muscular frame. Some were clean and thin, evidence of whiplashes… and others were wider and largely puckered… evidence from swords and cutlasses. There were even one or two burns and brand marks.  She thought that he must have been through many, many more painful moments than this one, and wondered idly what other stories these older scars carried.   There were several dark lined tattoos decorating his suntanned arms and a few on his chest. She recognized the Sparrow instantly on his right forearm just above the branded 'P' that labeled his profession.  On the other arm, there was a finely detailed skull with a jeweled crown atop it's bulbous head, and higher up on his left bicep, a mermaid was tattooed with a long curved tail, long flowing hair and breasts finely pronounced by their dark tiny areola's.

Elizabeth's breath caught in that instant and she put her hand up to touch the mermaid's tiny face with its rosebud shaped lips.  Something about the small representation seemed vaguely familiar.   "When did you get this one?"

" A long time ago." Jack replied, traveling back to that time in his own head and grimacing slightly.  "Back when I was gullible enough to believe they existed…" Then he gave a metallic grin and chuckled.  " I suppose I was trying to make a point…" Then he closed his mouth, turning his thoughts inward and refused to say any more on the subject.  Elizabeth did not press him. Instead, she straightened up, putting on her best air of calm certainty.

"Is there anything I can do for you?" she asked in a businesslike tone of voice.

            " Aye, see that casket of rum over there by the corner?" He gestured vaguely, "Go fetch it for me, will you darling?  I could use a drink, right about now..."

            Just as Elizabeth fetched Jack his rum, Will entered the room with Kursar, nervously clutching an instrument that looked like a large pair of tweezers in his hands.  He and glanced about the cabin apprehensively.

            Jack straightened up, received a full mug that Elizabeth handed him and proceeded to down half of the rum in one gulp.  He swayed slightly as he brought the mug down from his lips, and then looked at Kursar with scrutiny.

            "Have you ever taken a bullet out before?" He asked.

            "Aye, Captain… once." Kursar said quickly, his eyes looked like they might pop out of his skull as he fidgeted with his awkward surgical instrument.

            "That's what I hear…" Jack said, nodding his head and then took another huge swig from his mug and held it out for refilling.  Elizabeth pursed her lips disapprovingly, but tipped the casket and poured out the amber liquid.  " So, get to work mate… I'm not getting drunk off my arse right now for my health… as much as I wish it were so."

            Kursar nodded, and nervously peered down to look at the wound, his hands were shaking so hard that he almost dropped the large tweezers.  Elizabeth rolled her eyes and let out a strangled sound of annoyance. She shoved the casket at Will, who took it from her with a look of surprise, and then she took the instrument out of Kursar's hands in one smooth motion. 

            " You couldn't pick up a bullet with this thing if you're life depended on it." She said testily, pushing him aside, "Let someone who at least has a steady hand for sewing try." 

            Jack nodded his head drunkenly, and downed his second cup of rum.  " Did I ever tell you how boyish you look in those pants?" He held it out for a refill, which Will obliged with a look of disgust.

            Elizabeth ignored his comment, and instead pushed him back with her free hand.  Jack fell back on the bed, humming to himself slightly.

            " Dada da dada da…drink up me 'earties yo ho!" Then he chuckled, and eyed her with a roguish smile.  "But I do like the pants! Don't get me wrong…" His face took on a look of serious consideration.  "I think pants on woman are grossly under-rated actually… I mean- I do quite enjoy watching you walk about in them, as do all the mates… Why- you can see the crack in your arse as clearly through the fabric as if you were walking about the ship buck naked in the—AHHHHH!!"

            Elizabeth had been poking and prodding the wound during his drunken tirade, trying very hard not to listen and failing miserably.  Just as she was about to abandon her quest for the bullet and punch his lights out instead, she caught a glimpse of the tiny round black ball, settled firmly amidst the torn muscle, and without warning plunged the tweezers into the wound. 

            Will himself had been ready to smash the entire rum casket over the intoxicated pirates head.  But he got even more satisfaction seeing Jack writhe and squirm and scream as Elizabeth searched about unmercifully for the bullet lodged in his shoulder. Kursar winced and writhed along with the Captain.  Will thought he must have gone through a similar experience at one point and that must have been the cause for his nervousness.  He turned back to Jack Sparrow, whose face had gone a ghostly shade of white, and reluctantly felt a pang of pity for the surly Captain.

            After a few more seconds of this tortuous prodding, Elizabeth finally came up triumphantly with the small bullet held securely between the large tweezers prongs.  Jack lay back on the bed, his coal-darkened eyes were closed and his left hand clutched the empty mug at his side.  

            " Will, hand me the remainder of that casket." Elizabeth held out a hand, and Will complied.

            Jack cracked one eye open and glanced at her, then grimaced noticeably as he hoisted himself up partway and held up the mug for refilling.

            " Thank you, love. I was just thinking I could use another drink…"

            " Ohh no…" Elizabeth said with mock sweetness.  " I think you've had plenty of Rum for today, Savvy?"

            A look of confusion passed over his face. He poised with a question on his lips, but seconds later it was replaced with a horrible blood curdling curse as Elizabeth turned over the casket and poured the rum straight into Jack's wound.

            " AHHH!!!" 

 Kursar and Will both shook their heads and winced inwardly as Jack convulsed, then in a flash sat straight up and yanked the rum out of Elizabeth's hands, "What in bloody blazing Hell did you do THAT for??!"

            " Two reasons." She said heatedly. "The first, to teach you some manners, and second… to disinfect your wound."

            " But you didn't have to use my best RUM!" Jack said angrily, grasping it to his chest like a precious child.  " We have grog for that!"

            " Grog is too watered down." Elizabeth argued, then plopped down beside him, and began winding long strips of linen around his waist and up over his shoulder that Will had brought up from the hold. " You shouldn't drink the vile stuff anyways, you become a despicable numbskull when you do!"

            Jack opened his mouth to argue further, but he swallowed whatever he was about to say when Mr. Gibbs reluctantly stepped into the cabin.

            "Captain?" Mr. Gibbs regarded Jack nervously. " Am I bothering ye sir?"

            "Mr. Gibbs." Jack's face took on a comically stern, businesslike expression and he staggered to his feet, swaying dangerously. " Do you have your report?"

            " Aye, Captain." Mr. Gibbs said, looking troubled.  " The ship's sustained fair damage. There's a good amount of water down in the brig and she's taking in more.  The bow's starboard side gun deck has a gaping hole, and the spanker has a fair sized hole in her sail…we'll need to repair her before we venture further. The ship will not last in another storm unless she's repaired."

            Jack pursed his lips, considering this news, then lurched over to his desk where a dirty, rum stained map of the Caribbean lay outstretched. He studied it for a moment, and then grimaced.

            " What is it Captain?" Asked Gibbs reluctantly.

            " We're no more than a day's journey off course from that God forsaken island I was marooned on all those years ago…"

            " Aye?" Mr. Gibbs said emphatically. " With the sea turtles?"

            "…" Jack paused, giving Gibbs a questioning glance, then nodded. " Aye… the same."

            " We should be able to make repairs there, then?"

"… Aye… there's a cove that's well sheltered, and timber is there a 'plenty."

 "I'll have the mates set course straightaway." Mr. Gibbs' smile was enormous as he left the cabin.

Jack straightened to his full height, and turned his intense gaze on the remaining people that sat watching him.

            "I think I'm needed on deck…" Kursar said after a moment's silence, then turned on his heel and left the cabin quickly, snatching his awkward surgical tweezers from Elizabeth's fingers.  Elizabeth looked around the cabin, and caught sight of Emma's shoes and stockings by the window.  Her face took on a pained expression, then she gave Jack an awkward smile and with a tiny inclination of the head, excused herself, dragging Will along with her.

            Jack had noticed where her gaze had been directed.  Now that he was finally alone with his thoughts about the strange circumstances that had surrounded Emma, he realized how everything made sense now.  The way she'd boarded his ship, and her peculiar way of walking, the way she always smelled of the ocean, and how her eyes always reflected its dark blue depths…

Reluctantly, he poured the remaining rum into his mug, and threw the empty casket across the room.  Then leaned back on the thin blanket of his bed and drank idly.  It explained the reason she had the map, and how she'd gotten it. It explained her secretiveness, and her assurance that she could get the treasure for him…

            His mind trailed off at that thought. What point would there be sailing to Hell Water now? He had no idea how he'd get his father's treasure without her.  The voyage suddenly seemed so much emptier now.  

            Why had she wanted to so fervently to sail there, after all? She could swim couldn't she? Was there something about it that made passage underwater impossible?  He could continue guessing, but it would do him no good. He'd never have those questions answered now…

            Unconsciously, he raised his right hand and scratched at his left bicep.  Then glanced down with eyes narrowed at the mermaid tattoo.

_            " Be warned of a mermaid's song," a familiar deep and ominous voice echoed in his mind. Jack Sparrow saw himself seated on the deck of 'Donalda' as a small boy, staring attentively up at his father.  The huge pirate pointed a large, bejeweled finger down at him threateningly.  " For if yer caught off yer guard, she'll sing you right down into the depths of Davey Jones' Locker… and you'll be lost to it forever."  _

It was the only thing his father feared in all the seven sea's… a mermaid's song… Jack Sparrow remembered it well, his father believed in them so fervently that he threatened to make any man who denied their existence walk the plank.  After his father had died, Jack had the image tattooed on his arm. He wasn't sure why at the time. He fancied the tattoo was his own personal act of defiance because he knew his father would never have approved of the graven image.  But, as he grew older, he grudgingly admitted to himself (though never out loud), that he had carried a strange, unexplainable obsession with them. After all, he'd been fed with stories of them from as early as the first years of his life.  Merpeople were, to him, incurably fascinating…

However, years later still as he entered his early twenties, he began to learn the hard lessons of piracy.  Through many trials on sea and land, he won his right as Captain of _The Black Pearl_.  With this title, he began making an undeniably disreputable name for himself as his pillaged and plundered the seven seas.  During this long period of his life, he had all but forgotten about his father.  He had put the thought of fanciful creatures like Mermaids in the back of his mind, thinking them mere fairytales. And this was reinforced when misfortune befell him 14 years ago when his crew mutinied against him.  And ever since that day, he'd been so preoccupied with getting _The Black Pearl_ back from Barbossa that he'd forgotten the tattoo was even there. 

_" You've finally made a believer out of me…" _he admitted silently.__

He sat there for a long time, staring blankly at a fold in the carpet, and thought bitterly of Emma.  He could see her peaceful face, surrounded by her flowing hair, as it became obscured in the shadow of the ocean's deep blue depths. The pale skin would never be touched again by the sun's light.  He couldn't get the bloody image out of his head.  Angry with himself for some reason he couldn't fathom, he tipped his glass and downed the remaining rum, wondering why it wouldn't fill up the strange, empty space that had developed in the pit of his stomach.

~*~*~*~

Jack's mere glance had been right on target.  Emma was a mermaid, and he knew little of them except for the fact that the lower half of their bodies were comprised of a tail and fins instead of legs and feet, and they're songs could be either hauntingly beautiful or shrill and deadly.  What he did not know though, was that Merpeople could not be so easily killed with a single bullet wound, and he had abandoned her for dead the moment blood had stopped flowing out of her wound.   

Emma lay underwater on the edge of a deep undersea canyon.    Her entire body was painfully aware of the slow regeneration process that it would take to revive and heal her.  She could not die, but it did not mean that it didn't hurt a great deal to close a wound that permeated through her entire chest.  She slowly opened her eyes, realized where she was and sat up with a painful grimace, floating up slightly and settling back down with the movement.  A school of large bluish gray deep-sea fish swam idly by, ignoring her presence completely.

" _The Black Pearl_…!" She looked up hopefully, wondering how much time had passed by. She was too deep though and it was too dark to see much at all.  She swam upwards, hoping beyond hope that she would be able to see the dark black hull of the ship.  But when her head hit the surface and she looked about her, all she could see was horizon in every direction.  Her entire body ached, screaming at her to stop moving.  The dress she wore was unbearably heavy and created an annoying drag at the water as she tried to move about.  She hastily undid the fastenings to the overskirt and the tight bodice and wriggled her way out of them.  She left her light cream colored slip on, it was not heavy enough to create resistance but she needed some kind of clothing if she was going to present herself again to a ship full of pirates. 

" _There's no use for it now, I'm sure they know… and if not, I suppose it would be nearly impossible to explain coming back from the dead any other way… I just hope that…"_ Her train of thought trailed off as she remembered her previous uncertainty at revealing her secret.  She didn't know how they would react.

" _Well, there's only one way to find out._" She pursed her lips and made up her mind in that instant, that she would find that ship no matter what, and find someway to make the crew accept her. Whatever way she could, she would…

" _I have to catch up!  But… which way did they go?"_     She looked about, turning all the way around and frowned, she knew which way was north by instinct and in what general direction Hell Water lay.

" _Did they continue on to Hell Water?"_ She thought glumly, and then remembered the damage the ship had sustained and excused that option from her mind. " _No… they wouldn't be able to survive without patching up the ship.  They're probably looking for someplace to birth for repairs before they continue…Jack would know better than to--"_

Then a sudden panic gripped her.  " _Jack!" _

She dove underwater again and swam once more to the edge of the canyon.  She remembered vividly again the moment when she'd pushed him off the edge of the Commodore's Ship.  She'd seen him get injured by the same bullet that had passed through her but she couldn't remember where he'd been hurt, or had time to stop and see how bad it was. She searched around, looking for any sign that he'd joined her under the water.  Well, if he had, there was little she could do. He would be dead.  She was relieved to find nothing.  But when she noticed the canyon and its dark chasm that went into total, eerie blackness, she shuddered inwardly.  It wasn't possible! He was Captain Jack Sparrow! He'd gotten out of worse situations than that with five times more injuries… or so the stories said… There was no way he would have let a little bullet like that kill him.  He had to be okay and on board _The Black Pearl_.  That was the only explanation she would consider feasible in her stubborn mind.

_" Okay okay… think_…" She sat on the bottom, resting her aching torso and wracked her brains.  " _Suppose he's okay and alive and with his crew…Where is the closest place that Jack would know that would be safe to anchor?"_

She ticked off the nearby landmarks that she knew, for she knew them all in the Caribbean, it had been her home for hundreds of years.

" Tortuga? No… too far away… umm- Maguana?  No that place would have too many soldiers!"

She continued going over every nearby area she could think of and decided that, even though it was a little far off course going south, the Isle de Marta was probably the best bet for Jack's crew.

She paused at this thought and shuddered inwardly.  She did not want to go there.  The place was a graveyard of ships and an infested nest of carnivorous hungry sharks.  It was almost as bad as Hell Water…

…Almost… 

Even if she couldn't die, the prospect of getting large chunks bitten out of her did not appeal one bit. She was a fast and strong swimmer, but she was injured and the injury would sustain itself for a few more days before it would be fully healed.  The pain of it echoed with every beat of her heart, and she fought off a sudden spell of dizziness.  Her body wanted so badly to rest.  But the thought that she might never again stand aboard _The Black Pearl_ made her resist the temptation.  She admitted that she'd grown attached to the ship, the crew, and most of all to its roguish, unusually charming Captain.  The thought of seeing Jack Sparrow again made her harden her resolve.  Even if she had to face the waters of Isle de Muerta, she'd find him, and she would waste no time in doing it!

(A/N- okay- so mermaids are mythical creatures and I'm making up my own rules about them! No one knows for sure anyways what they could or couldn't do… but I've read stories that say they have voices that lured sailors to their death, etc etc… so it's feasible, right? =P It's my story and I uhh- couldn't think of any other way for Emma to save Jack in that situation.  ^^;; So yeah—she's got a voice that could kill, pretty cool huh?)


	9. The Reunion

**_Pirates of the Caribbean – The Secret of Hell Water_**

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_(A/N- Hmm… it's 2 AM… o.O Oh man… I need… sleep… I hope you enjoy this chapter, sorry it took a little longer to post than usual, it's rather long as was an exceptionally difficult one for me to write. You'll see why probably when you read it. I hope it meets with approval though, please leave me your comments! :: goes off muttering about that Bloody Jack Sparrow being such a bloody hard character to write!::)_

****

**_Chapter 9- The Reunion_**

_The Black Pearl_ anchored near the cove off the Rum Cache Island early the next morning.  The pirates had rowed hard all that night and were relieved to see their ship was staying well enough together despite the damages.  All disembarked in the shore boats to find supplies with which to patch their ship, with the exception of Crimp and Quartetto, who stayed behind to guard it.  Captain Jack mused that the chances of the ship being in danger of sinking were not dire, however he was not one to take such risks. Especially since one of the holes seemed to be slowly filling up the brig with every crashing wave. The sooner it could get patched the better.  As much as he wanted the treasure of Hell Water, the welfare of his ship came first.

The thought of Hell Water made him involuntarily grimace.  The mates had not mentioned anything of it. They still assumed they were going. But then again, they did not know where the treasure was or how they were going to get it. And Jack's only means to the answer was lying dead on the bottom of the ocean floor.  He would have to carefully think about how he would handle the situation from here on.  He wondered if the map might provide some clue as to how to access the treasure trove.  There had to be a way of getting to it other than being able to breath underwater.  His father had done it hadn't he? Maybe there was some kind of secret involved.  He wished fervently that he could remember, but he'd subconsciously pushed all those painful childhood memories out of his mind years and years ago.

The sound of the shore boat's hull scraping up on the sand interrupted him from these thoughts.  He jumped out with the rest of the pirates and watched as they hauled the boat further onto the beach with the intention of preventing it from getting swept off by the high tide.  He did not want to stay on the island long, he remembered too well the feelings of frustration he'd endured twice as he watched Barbossa sailing away in his ship while he sat stranded on the tiny palm strewn island. 

" Mr. Gibbs, Matellot, Ladbroc, and Kursar," He said with a calm but demanding countenance.  The wind came up in a sudden gust, tugging at the loose ends of his red bandana.  They went whipping about behind his head energetically.  The four pirates that had been addressed stood to attention.  " Go and find some suitable wood for burning into tar and pitch." The pirates acknowledged his request with a brisk nod and an "Aye! Captain…" And set off into the small forest.

Jack Sparrow watched them disappear into the scenery, and then turned to the remaining sailors standing at attention on the beach.  "Cotton, Duncan, Moises, and Anamaria, find wood for patching the hull.  Will and Elizabeth, find some firewood for me, will ye? We'll build it here at this site."

The remaining crew scattered about the Island.  Jack turned and walked with his usual jilting sway along the white sandy beach, humming tunelessly to himself, keeping a sharp eye out for the smooth, round rocks he could use for a fire pit. 

_"One thing at a time…"_ he thought to himself, inspecting a rock and tossing it into a small pile.  _" Get the Pearl patched up… then worry about Hell Water, and what's to become of the voyage…"_

_~*~*~*~*~*~_

Emma popped her head out of the water, resting her sore and aching body a moment as she let the ocean buoy her to the surface. She had been swimming all night long, and she was making slow progress.  She scanned the surface, not really expecting to see anything, but then caught sight of an island in the far distance. 

"_It's not Isle de Muerta… but it wouldn't hurt to take a look_." She thought, hoping that Jack might have thought to dock there instead. " _Even if he's not there, I could use a rest…I'll stop there and regain some strength before pushing forward_." With this thought, she summoned up the last of her stamina for a final dash.  She told herself repeatedly that she couldn't be too far behind.  Those thoughts kept her hopes up, along with the solemn assurance that it would take them a few days at least to fully repair the ship, which would give her time to reach her destination.

As she drew closer, her eyes took in a rewarding sight.  A great wave of relief washed over her, and the apprehension she'd been trying hard to quell finally vanished.  She gazed upon the black sails and the familiar flag with its duel swords crossed behind the laughing skull. It was _The Black Pearl_.  She'd been right!  

There was no time to worry about secrets or whether the crew would accept her or even whether or not Jack Sparrow was still alive and on board the ship, all she could think about was the sweet, peaceful rest that she could award herself when she got there. 

Emma winced as a sudden pain in her chest shot through her body, cramping her muscles.  She'd been experiencing the pain throughout the entire trip, but now that she was stationary it seemed to have doubled. The strain of the night's trip had taken its toll and was catching up to her quickly.  She had to keep going though.  _The Black Pearl_, and her ticket to Hell Water was right there, waiting only a few miles away.  Emma didn't think she'd had any energy left to spare, but with the knowledge that her goal was at hand, she managed to summon the last of her stamina.  Grinding her teeth in desperation, she dove into the water and wearily continued onwards. 

The sails were getting closer and closer. She was almost upon them.  Emma bit back the sobs that tried to escape her mouth as her body cried out in indignation to this torturous excursion.  She reached her hands out for the familiar wood scaffolding decorating the stern that she'd used many times in the past to board the ship. 

 As her fingers closed over the wood, she let out a sigh of relief then looked up to the open window of the Captain's Cabin high above.  Even though it had been done many times before, the prospect of making the climb this time around made her wince.  The window may as well have been a one thousand foot high sheer wall. There was no way she would be able to make it in her present condition.  Her eyes scanned the shore beyond and she noticed, though her vision was blurred with fatigue, that there were several shore boats high on the white sandy beach.  

"_Jack Sparrow is probably on the beach with his crew_." She thought wearily.  With an audible sigh of both frustration and desperation, she let go of the scaffolding and sunk down into the water, weary and beaten down by the journey.  

_"I made it…"_ she thought listlessly,  "_ Just a little more to go… Just a little." _

Her entire body ached, and her fins refused to move as much as she willed them too.  Emma allowed herself to sink until she hit a shallow reef and used the hand holds it offered to help pull her through the water.  The sharp, colorful coral cut into her hands, but she did not even feel the sting of the cuts in her desperation to reach the land and the security of finally finding what she sought. 

"_Just… a little… longer…"_

~*~*~*~*~*

Jack had a fair pile of rocks lining the base of the fire pit that they were to use for burning the pitch that would be used to help patch his ship.   He wiped the sweat that was trickling down his brow, and sat amidst the shade of a few palm trees, looking up at the sun as it arched it's way across the vivid blue sky.  Will and Elizabeth had so far stacked a good amount of wood beside the rocks and had gone off to find a bite to eat while waiting for the other mates to arrive.  Jack guessed they were having trouble finding suitable wood.  He had no idea whether or not this island would have some pitch worthy wood.  All he saw around him was palm trees, but perhaps further inland there would be a pine or two.  Whether or not there was any to be found at all, they would make do with what they could.

He guessed it was around noontime.  Now with this job finished, he had a moment's relaxation and turned to gaze out at the ocean apprehensively, half expecting to see some half human half fish jump out in the distant horizon.  But nothing broke the still, sparkling surface of the rolling blue waves. The uncomfortable thought of Emma grotesquely lying on the floor of that ocean, pulled down by the enormous weight of her many skirts and petticoats came back to him unwillingly. Jack envisioned her long pale hair wrapped around her face all alone in a dark expanse of cold nothingness…

He grimaced, and with the intention of doing anything to get his mind off of Emma, he slipped the folded piece of parchment that was his father's map out of it's secure place in the inside of his coat and opened it carefully.  Gazing at it studiously, his other hand went inside his vest and came out with a small flask of rum.  Jack took a swig as his eyes ran over the complex bearings and directions the map detailed for the hundredth time since they'd set off on their voyage.  It was relatively straightforward in terms of specific directions.   In short, it told how to navigate the treacherous waters leading to Hell Water itself so the ship would not get caught on shallow reefs and have holes ripped in her hull.  The map also told of the correct passages to take amidst the maze of twisting cliffs and canyons that was the gateway to the notorious treasure site.  It divulged the locations of the sand bars that perilously sat just under the water, ready to run your ship aground without the slightest hint of warning, and woe to any sailor who was pitched overboard in one of the violent storms that frequently besieged the area. For it was well known that sharks patrolled those waters. 

He vaguely remembered the site of Hell Water itself.  The picture of the majestic walls of limestone echoed faintly in his memory.  He recalled the giant whirlpool with a serious frown. Once seen, even if it had been nearly 30 years ago, he could never forget that terrifying site.  The treacherous funnel of water was ready to suck down any ship to the very bottom of Davey Jones' Locker.

According to the map, there was one sandbar that would serve as a safeguard against the pull of the whirlpool. If he managed to run his ship aground on the sand with the wind directly at his tail, the current would not be able to trap the ship and take it under. But which way should the wind be blowing?

Jack shook his head and folded the map up again, putting it securely back in his pocket.  Even if he could figure out that mystery, there was still no indication of how to get to the treasure. There was only a simple red X marked on a spot near the whirlpool beside one of the sheer rock walls.  There was no cave entrance location; it was clearly at the bottom of the ocean as far as he could tell.

For a fleeting instant, he thought about the Cortez treasure. Maybe if he went and stole a piece, then he'd become undead and be able to descend to the watery depths without fear of drowning and recover the treasure that way? But he dismissed the idea as soon as he had conjured it.  By doing so, Barbossa and all his crew would awaken in their graves and probably come again to haunt him.  That was the last thing he wanted.  It was far too risky and dealt with powers he did not wish to tangle with again.  The thought alone that there could be the faintest possibility of loosing his ship again, especially to his worst enemy, made his skin crawl. 

He'd been staring lividly out at the ocean as these thoughts ran through his mind.  But then his eye spotted something not too far off shore. It was a slight break in the usual surface of the waves as they were crashing onto the sandy beach.  There was something out there. 

He took another great gulp of rum, stowed the small flask in his coat, and sauntered out to the waters edge to see what it was.

"_Probably some drift wood…or a dead porpoise…"_ he thought with a grimace.  "_That's the last thing we need… a dead animal to stink up the beach… as if pitch won't smell bad enough…"_

Then, his coal-lined eyes widened as he got a clear view of the thing floating on the waves.  It was a person! He was sure he'd seen an arm come out of the water in a weak attempt at a stroke.  

Without another thought, Jack splashed into the shallow water, allowing the pull of the undertow to bring him further out until he was about waist deep.  His first thought was that it might be Quartetto or Crimp with a warning about the state of his ship.  But he dismissed this as he drew closer, the arm was too slim and the figure too small.   Could it have been a sailor from the Commodore's ship that had gotten pitched overboard? Who would be strong enough to swim the entire way to this island?   When he was almost within reach of the faintly struggling person, he noticed the limp honey colored hair and the familiar slim, slightly muscular arms as they weakly paddled with the gentle roll of the waves. Without hesitation, he dipped his arms into the water and lifted Emma out in one smooth motion.  He looked down at her with his eyebrows tightly drawn together with a glance somewhere between complete shock and utter bewilderment.  She laid completely still, her chest rising and falling with accompanying faint gasps of air that escaped her parted lips.

"_Alive?"_ He thought, completely amazed.  But it was true! His eyes moved from her pale face to her heaving chest and continued down until they fell on a long, powerful looking tail of burnt red and gold colored scales poking out from the bottom of her white shift. She attempted to move as he noticed the split fins decorating the end were along the same lines as what you would find on a goldfish, only larger to match her size. At her motion, his gaze snapped back to her face.  

Her head was lolling back as she lay in his arms like a very large doll.  But her eyes had opened to mere slits and she was looking up the bridge of her nose at him from her precarious position. 

The outer edges of his dark lined eyes were creased in consternation as he squinted down at her. A wave rolled past and with its pull he took a few steps towards the shore to prevent being knocked over.  He uttered a brief oath and said in a steady tone of voice that did nothing to hide his surprise, "You were dead, love…"

 The corners of Emma's mouth turned up in a tiny smile of satisfaction.

"You see…" She whispered hoarsely.  " I told you…I could… take care of myself."

At saying this, Emma closed her eyes.  Now that she'd reached her goal, she gladly gave into the utter exhaustion caused by her desperate journey and fell into a deep, listless sleep.

"Jack!" it was Elizabeth's voice.  "We found shellfish!" 

Jack turned around quickly and surveyed Will and Elizabeth, both dripping wet from head to toe making their way along the beach towards him with arms full of succulent oysters.  They took one glance at him standing waist deep in the water and then at his burden. Elizabeth let her load fall to the ground with a gasp.

Jack raised one eyebrow at Elizabeth, then glanced back at Emma with a thoughtful look on his face, then turned to regard them once again. They stood completely still staring at him open mouthed.

" W…what's that?" Will asked with brows knit together in consternation.

Elizabeth's eyes traveled from Emma's pale, sleeping face to regard Jack with a confused expression as if she expected him to provide them with all the right answers.

Jack's mouth turned down in a contemplative frown as he once again exchanged glances between the two, opening his mouth and shutting it.  He seemed at a loss for words then finally gave a little shrug and said, " What are you looking at me for? _She's_ the bloody mermaid." 

~*~*~*~*~*~

They huddled around Emma as Jack laid her out on the beach.  The moment her body came in contact with the warm, dry sand, her tail split apart and vanished, replaced by two thin white legs and sturdy feet. 

"It's impossible… We all saw her get shot." Will said, his voice betraying his disbelief.  But they could not deny that her chest was moving up and down in a labored, but steady pattern of breathing.  

" Aye, it would have done me far greater harm if she'd not stepped in the way of the bullet." Said Jack with a solemn nod. " She stopped a good portion of its momentum with her body."

Elizabeth looked at him with an expression of disgust.  " You told us she was dead! And you just left her to sink like that?! She probably would be if she wasn't… uhh… wasn't…"

" A mermaid?" Will chimed.

" Yeah!"

Jack gave an obvious shrug, flinging his hands out with palms facing upwards. "What would you have had me do, darling? I honestly didn't know she was still alive. I saw the blood stop flowing. It was her or me, and she was already dead!"

Elizabeth gave an audible snort and opened her mouth for an angry retort, but stopped as Will laid a hand on her arm.  
            " Stop this…" He said low under his breath.  " Well, she's back, the question is now, what do we do with her?"

" I had a feeling there was something odd about her." Elizabeth pursed her lips. "It was the way she moved. And it certainly explains about the map. If she fetched it from the bottom of the sea…"

" Look, mates…" Jack interrupted, eyeing them both wearily.  " I plan on seeing to it that she tells us her story when she wakes, but it probably won't happen for a while yet, and so let's just eat something, have a drink, relax…" He gestured to the two of them and then raised his flask and took a long swig.  " And for now, refrain from mentioning any of this unnerving mythical codswallop to any of the other mates, at least until I get the story first hand from her myself. After that, I'll decide what's to be done."

And so they sat on the beach, cracking open the oysters and eating them raw while Jack drank from his precious supply of rum and Elizabeth and Will both managed to stomach the ships supply of grog that was meant for the other mates.  

" What I wouldn't give for some nice, hot tea…" said Elizabeth wistfully.

Jack gave a little laugh and looked at her with one eyebrow raised.  " We're pirates, darling… you'll not find us drinking that stuff… nothing addles the brains like good, strong rum!"

Elizabeth looked at Jack sarcastically. " That's what worries me…"

" The stuff isn't that bad…" Will said with a grimace. " Once you get used to it…"

He put down his bottle as a hail was chorused by some of the returning pirates.  Mr. Gibbs had returned with his group, carrying between them two sturdy trunks that had been chopped down and stripped of leaves and branches.

" Captain!" Mr. Gibbs said merrily.  " We found ourselves two good pines, sir! Take a look!"

Jack raised his drink to them and then downed the remainder.  He stood up, swaying with the motion and directed the pirates over to the fire pit. Gibbs started in the direction, but just then his eyes fell on Emma, sound asleep on the sand next to Will and Elizabeth and he abruptly let go of his end of the log. There was an oath from the pirate behind him as he was left to carry twice the burden.

" Mary Mother of God…" Gibbs exclaimed in wonder.  

Jack glanced back at Emma and gave a little shrug. "Yes… while you all were getting the wood, she swam up to shore and collapsed. Apparently not dead after all."  He looked back at him and gave a sardonic bow.  " That was my fault, I'm afraid… lucky she's such a strong swimmer, eh?"

Gibbs shook his head in bewilderment.  " With a bullet wound that woulda killed any other sailor? She's come back from the dead, if ye ask me… 'tis bad luck 'tis!"

Jack rolled his eyes, " With you, everything's bad luck. Just get to work ye scabbarous dogs, I'd like to have that pitch before night falls."

Gibbs turned, muttering under his breath about sea turtles and uncommon wonders and they immediately began the tedious process of burning the precious pine wood with the intention of collecting the pitch that was a by product of the charcoal the wood would become.  There were several empty barrels stacked near the fire.  It was piled high and gave off a terrific heat and a foul stench by the time the rest of the pirates came out of the woods, carrying their own loads of timber. 

The newcomers set to work cutting the rough wooden planks immediately at Jack's orders. They were anxious to ask questions about Emma's sudden reappearance, but not foolish enough to press Jack Sparrow, who seemed to think that they should be content with his simple answer of " She's alive, savvy? Now get ta work!"

The process was long and tiring, and everyone was covered with dirt and grime by the time the sun was setting behind the horizon. It cast the sky in a radiance of purples and yellows.  The pirates, tired from a day's hard work laughed and told crude stories around the bonfire while they commenced to get extremely drunk.  Elizabeth had managed to slip away for a bath when Jack stood up and started a rousing round of "A Pirates Life for Me." They all sang at the top of their lungs in raucous unison, clanking their bottles of grog or rum and one by one, dropped off into a fitful, intoxicated slumber.

The moon was high in the sky by the time the loud sounds of snores could be heard all about the camp and the cheer had died down.  Will and Elizabeth were curled up together cozily not far away, sleeping peacefully. Jack, too drunk to stand and exhausted from the eventful day, was the only one still awake.  He'd hoped that Emma would awaken at some point during the festivities. But it seemed she would sleep through the night.  He peered down at her through drowsy eyelids.

"Just… what is your story, darling?" he muttered under his breath, running his fingers lightly over her face, removing a stray piece of hair that had blown across her nose.  Then he traced the fine contours of her jawbone, down her neck, running his finger along the fine lines of her collarbone, and lay to rest just over where he'd seen the bullet penetrate her chest.  It rose and fell gently to the rhythm of the rolling waves.  He furrowed his brows as he hooked a ringed finger under the neck of her shift and moved it slightly to the side, revealing the wound.  

He stared at it in drunken amazement.  The wound had healed at an alarming rate.  There was no hint of blood, as it had already clotted and scabbed completely over. 

" You're just full of surprises…aren't you?" He gazed down at her with a hint of mischief in his dark eyes.  " Fascinating…"

His eyes lingered on her a little while more, then he luxuriously rolled over on his side, put his arm behind his head.  Jack ticked off all his good fortunes for the day in his mind as he lay quietly, listening to the rolling of the waves, the gentle snores of the sleeping pirates, and the crackle of the dying flames. The pitch had been successfully collected and the rough planks of wood had been cut.  Tomorrow's work would be long but rewarding.  With luck, they would be able to sail the day after the morrow. He had his gold mine of information back and sleeping beside him. " _There is no doubt about it," _thought Captain Jack Sparrow as he drifted into slumber.  " _The future is looking bright."_

~*~*~*~*~

It was near dawn when Emma stirred and finally awoke.  She opened her eyes, wondered for a moment where she was and what had happened. Then sat up quickly.  Her chest still hurt, but it was not nearly as bad as it had been.  She put a hand up to check the progress of the wound's healing and found it almost completely gone.  Then, she took in her surroundings.  Pirates lay strewn about the campsite, sound asleep. Littered about their still bodies were many empty bottles. It was evidence of the last night's festivities. 

She recognized the familiar faces and smiled to herself.  She didn't quite remember how she'd gotten there, but it was like waking up from a very bad dream, and she felt the relief wash over her.  She was back among the crew of The Black Pearl, which was still anchored peacefully just off shore.  

But then the smile slid off her face as she wondered just how it was that she came to be resting on the beach with them all. She didn't remember in the slightest how she'd gotten there. It was all such a foggy haze in her memory. The last thing she remembered was pulling herself across the reef.  She glanced at the cuts on her arms that she'd gotten on the previous day. They were already nearly healed over. 

The smoke from the fire billowed softly as the breeze blew gently on the embers, and the faint but foul odor of pitch made her wrinkle her nostrils.  She blinked and looked about the sleeping bodies, she could see Will and Elizabeth huddled closely together at the edge of the campsite, Will had one arm protectively wrapped around Elizabeth, who was burrowed deep into his chest with her own arms clutched tightly to herself for warmth.  There was Cotton, Mr. Gibbs, Matellot, Anamaria…" She rang off the names in her head as she surveyed each sleeping pirate.  But she did not see Jack.  She looked to her opposite side; his hat and pistol in its buckled holster were lying beside her. It was a definite sign that he was alive. Suddenly, she caught a sudden movement in the corner of her eye and whirled around to see Jack walking out from the palm tree festooned inner island.  He caught a glance of her watching him, then gave a tiny crack of a smile and sauntered down to greet her.

" I was wondering when you'd decide to join the land of the living again…" he said, grinning at his own joke.  Emma's face paled and she hugged her knees up to her, glancing at him nervously.

" Ohh—yes… well… I couldn't very well let you all get away and have all the fun by yourselves now… could I?"

" That's the kind of attitude that I like to hear." Jack said conversationally, not taking his penetrating gaze off of her.  " Now, love, care to take a short walk?"

" Walk?"

" Why yes…" Jack said, gesturing out at the steadily lightening horizon.  The sun had still not yet come up, but it was light enough to walk around without bumping into things.  " You know, there's a lovely little spot where you can see the sunrise." He glanced back at her, trapping her eyes with his penetrating gaze.  " It's just too beautiful for words, I can guarantee you'd love it…"

Emma nodded and stood up, wincing slightly but was able to hide her discomfort from Jack, who'd whirled around by then and was walking up the sandy beach with large jaunty strides. She followed after him, wondering just what he was up to.

He skipped ahead, unaware that she was having difficulty catching up.  Her wound still smarted, and her body's aching muscles did not like the thought of sudden, quick movements.  She pressed on determined, but noticed with chagrin that he'd waded into the water and climbed up on a rocky outcrop that was a good 15 feet from the shore. He glanced back at her and gestured for her to join him.

" Ummm…" Emma stood at the edge of the water, keeping a weary eye on the waves as they crept slowly closer with the incoming tide. She clutched the fabric of her thin dress tightly in balled fists. " I'd rather not, thank you."

Jack gave a metallic smile.  " There's no point in hiding it any more. I pulled ye from the water, I know what ye are."

Emma blanched, then took an audible breath and glanced back at the distant campsite.

" No need to worry, darling." Jack said in an inescapably deep and charming tone of voice.  " They have no clue, except for Will and Elizabeth, who found ye with me."

Emma frowned, then pursed her lips and stood a little straighter. "You've made your point, _Captain_ Jack Sparrow…" She said his full name and title with an edge of contempt.  " What is it you want then? And you can forget about the water, I'll not go a step further until you tell me what you're up to."

Jack flashed her a mischievous grin and jumped off the rock, landing in the water up to his knees and splashed back towards her. As he did so, the first rays of the sun peeked over the horizon. But Emma was too busy watching him to notice. He regarded her with the look that a fisherman might have, just as he'd caught a fish that he believed was particularly large, and was in the process of reeling it in. 

" What I'd like to know love…" He said as he approached her, coming up very close. His gaze was so intense that it made her take a step back involuntarily.  " What exactly is it that you're after from me?"

" After?" Emma said softly, biting her lip. " But—Our agreement was—"

" Agreement or no agreement," Jack broke in, his face was serious, " If you don't tell me exactly what it is you want, then I'll turn my ship straight around and head back to Tortuga."

Emma frowned at him, gripping her dress even tighter, unable to tear her eyes away from his intense look.

Jack smiled and tilted his head to one side, one eyebrow raised in a questioning glance. " Well, love? Just exactly what is your story? What would a mermaid want with a mangy crew of seafaring scallywags anyways? Why would you set us off on this dangerous voyage with my father's map in your bodice and ready to declare yourself a pirate?"

She could see she was well cornered.  There was no way she would be able to get out of this.  But it was what she'd wanted, wasn't it? Her wish of finally being able to tell him the full truth was about to be granted, right?  At least he'd discovered the mermaid thing on his own. So that was out of the way.

 " Okay…" She finally said, tearing her eyes away and letting go of her skirts. It was now or never. "Okay… I'll tell you."

Jack smiled coyly as they sat on the white sand close together, both ignoring the spectacular sun as it climbed higher above the horizon.  The sky was a delicate shade of purple and gold and the few whiffs of cloud that blew by were orange in hue.

Emma took a deep breath and began at the best beginning she could think of. 

" How old do you think I look?" She asked him.

Jack pursed his lips, and then shrugged.  " Twenty… give or take a few years…"

" I'm seven hundred and fifty. Or—so I think…" Emma said softly.  She looked away from him, afraid to see his expression.  " I lost track after awhile."

Jack's eyes had widened at this new piece of information.  " Well… that's certainly interesting."

Emma gave him a sardonic smile.  " Yes, well… it's also my way of saying that I'm immortal."

Jack nodded his head with a look of thoughtfulness. His coal-lined eyes were studying her avidly.

Emma tore her gaze away and drove a fist into the sand angrily.  "I've seen wars, bloodshed, countries rise up and crumble down… I've lured sailors to their deaths with my song… I've saved ships from perilous rocks and weather… I've done all these things…" Her voice became dangerously soft.

" Yes, the song part I can understand." Said Jack with a sage nod. Emma shot him a glance, then signed audibly and shook her head.

" I couldn't think of any other way to save you, I'm sorry. I knew the moment you turned your back that bloody Norrington man would shoot you."

" Aye, don't worry about it love. Please continue."

" I hate it!" She cried loudly, clawing at the sand in earnest.

" Well… the voice could use some improvement, I admit… perhaps if you tried to not make it explode the eardrums so badly then—"

" --No!" Emma interrupted him, tears stinging the corners of her eyes. " I hate this!" She gestured to herself angrily, flinging her hands up to her own face. " I could have almost died the other day, but I didn't!"

" Aye?" Jack said, not following her.

" I'm immortal! Don't you see?" She said the words with such fervor; Jack swung back his head and gazed at her dubiously.

" Immortal… yes, you said that part already."

" I can't die! I've been stuck on this planet for seven hundred and fifty years, as far as I know… and what have I done? Nothing! I know these waters like the back of my hand… but it's all empty. Killing or saving people… none of it matters.  No one believes in mermaids anymore anyways… Half of the people fear us to death or hate us. I have no friends, no family… no one cares! And many people don't even believe…"

"I believe…now…" Jack chimed in. Emma shook her head and grimaced.

" We used to have a choice, we could turn mortal if we wanted too. We'd join the humans above and no one would be the wiser… but that all changed, about one hundred years ago, our treasure was stolen."

The word 'treasure' caught Jacks attention, and he sat watching her in avid fascination as she sat, prepared to unfold her story.

" It was the pirate… Captain Kidd was his name… quite notorious treasure seeker he was." She said the name with loathing.  " He found the cave where we kept It. Our _secret_ was safe for thousands of years until he stumbled upon it. That cave was only safe to enter during one particular phase of the full moon, when the tide was particularly low. He was certainly lucky…"

"It?" Jack asked.

Emma ignored his question; she was too wrapped up in her story.  "And he stole It, and then got himself caught and hung before anyone could find out where he had hidden his hoard."

" Yes, but what is 'It?'"

" Then 'Black Jack' Sparrow found it." Emma continued, glancing up at him.  " Your father, right?"

Jack's eye twitched slightly, as his only indication that she'd been correct. Emma smiled grimly.

" He didn't know what it was, he had no idea of the power it contained…"

" Yes… now back to the 'It' thing…" Jack tried to interject.

" --And so I made it my quest to find out where he kept his hoard, and steal our treasure back from him." She looked resolutely out at the sunrise; her gaze set and determined. Jack was starting to get fidgety. " I longed to be free of this empty life. I found his ship, the _Donalda_ in the middle of the Spanish Main one day, and followed it to Hell Water.  I managed to stow away once night, because the waters themselves were too dangerous to swim in. It was easy to remain unnoticed…"

" Yes, but WHAT is 'IT'?!" Jack said forcefully.  Emma shot him a look of fright and confusion, then bit her lip and looked down at her hands that were by now tightly folded in her lap.

" Ohh….  We call it the Blade of Neptune."

Jack raised an eyebrow as Emma continued to rush forward with her explanation, painfully aware of his scrutiny.

" It was a dagger… so old that no one can really tell how or where it was made. But it's sharpened from the bleached white bones of the ancient sea beasts, and was enchanted by the Sea God himself during the great battles that were being held between the Gods while the earth was still young, to have the power to turn any creature it touched mortal, if that creature happened to be immortal, and vice versa."

She glanced up at Jack, who looked at her with mild amusement, and shot him an indignant stare. " It's the truth! You asked me to tell you!"

" Aye… I'm just wondering now if I even wanted to know that badly in the first place."

Emma rolled her eyes. "  Believe me or not, it's your choice."

"Well." Jack squinted out at the sun.  The great orange ball of light had just cleared the horizon.  " I suppose I haven't got much choice… If mermaids exist, I suppose this treasure does as well." His mouth turned up in a familiar grin, the new sun flashed off his metal teeth. " It's all very interesting…"

Emma jumped onto her knees and rounded on him angrily.

"Don't get any idea's Jack Sparrow!" She said angrily. " That treasure is mine! It's what I need!"

" Aye?" Jack threw his head back with a smirk, regarding her coolly.  " And just who is it that's going to take you to this treasure?"

Emma's mouth fell open at this question, and then she sat back on her heels a little apprehensively.  " Look… what exactly is it that you want from me? I'm telling you my story…"

" See here, love." Jack leaned forward, beckoning her closer as he dropped his voice to a low whisper.  " Ye seem to be keen on pirates, savvy?  So take this bit of information from me. As of right now, I'm of a mind to take this treasure you so desire and keep it for myself. A dagger that would give immortality? Now that's a fair treasure, to be sure…"

She opened her mouth, ready for a furious retort, but he held a hand up. "However-" He interrupted tersely. " I'm waiting for the catch."

"Catch?" Emma looked at him dubiously. " There's no catch. If you're cut with it, then you'll become immortal- or in my case…" She straightened her posture, jutting her chin out regally. "Mortal!"

"Very well then," Jack waved this aside with a quick hand gesture.  "So-- what else haven't ye told me?"

She sighed, " Okay okay… I was getting to that…" Then flashed him an ugly look and muttered under her breath. " Filthy pirate…" She wondered why in the world she had been so desperate to see his face just a day ago.

" Well?" Jack said with finality, gazing at her intensely.  The girl raised an eyebrow, returning his gaze with equal fervor. 

" If you must know… it was that night that the ship arrived at Hell Water, which was to be _Donalda's_ final voyage."

Jack's gaze intensified as she said this.  Emma took a deep breath and plunged on.

" The pirates were all very pleased about something, I didn't know what it was.  But then… something went wrong."

" Wrong?" Jack said softly, egging her to continue.  Emma's eyes unfocused, reliving that horrifying moment.

" I managed to escape during the chaos, I dove into the water… but…" And she gave a terrible shudder. " Such a horror… I can't even describe what had descended upon that ship. I saw it with my own eyes." She trembled, Jack's memory slowly came into focus… he could relive that night as well.

"A terrible storm came suddenly." Emma's voice echoed in his mind, but he could see the dark sky alight with lightning and the terrible crash of thunder and the pounding of the wind and the rain on his face.  There were screams and shouts about the ship.  People running too and fro, and then a great crash sent him skidding across the deck.  " The ship was sinking, the sudden wind had run them upon the rocks," Emma's voice carried to his ears in a soft narration.  " Water was coming in fast, there was no time to even put out the shore boats, and that thing was not about to let its prey escape."

He saw the pirates falling to their deaths, and the water frothing up with their blood.

"I was too terrified to stop it. My voice froze in fear… I don't even know if it would have made a difference." She said, echoing the terrifying visions his mind brought from the depths of his memory.  His father had thrown off his coat and handed it to his son.  Young Jack put the overly large coat on, intent to keep it safe, as Captain 'Black Jack' Sparrow had instructed.  The Captain tried to shoot it with the canons, but the gunpowder was wet from the pounding rain.  It was sinking further. He was thrown overboard, and disappeared into reddened wake of the great whirlpool. There seemed no hope as the ship was rocked with one resounding crash after another.

 "And the final strike was the lightning streaking down. It split the mast down the middle, and the ship lit on fire in a great shower of sparks." Emma's voice was hollow and seemed very far away.   Jack saw a great blinding flash, had only enough time to take a desperate breath as water engulfed him. He had been thrown overboard by the great explosion as the fire hit the powder kegs below deck that were still dry.  He was sinking further, his body was heavy and a great, agonizing pain pulsed in his head.

" I had gone down to see if I could recover my treasure." She said softly.  "But— I saw a child in the water and he was hurt badly.  A head injury, if I remember… The horrible monster was busy feeding, but it was only a manner of time before it would become attracted to his blood. I thought that I should be thankful for this distraction, but the kid was impossible to ignore. He was so young—I couldn't allow him to die."

The last memory Jack had was more a sensation than anything else, but of arms wrapping around him and hoisting him up towards the surface.

" We survived that night, on a piece of floating debris, somehow…"

Jack came back to the present, he watched Emma with piercing dark brown eyes.  He had a solemn countenance, but was listening with rapt attention all the same, not believing what his ears were hearing. She continued her story, unaware of his intense stare.

" He was unconscious throughout most of it, but I paddled us out of Hell Water, I think the storm had been so severe, most of the creatures inhabiting the waters had taken their own shelter, and were content to let us pass.  I don't know myself, but on the third day, as I passed beyond the great reef, greatly fearing for the life of the child…which was fading fast, I saw a ship on the horizon. At that moment he awoke in the midst of a fever dream and saw me.

Jack shook his head; he did not remember any of this at all. At least, he didn't think he did…

" He… thanked me for saving him." She smiled despite herself, clutching her skirts in her hands again.  " He said he didn't have anything he could repay me with himself.  But instead, he would give me the Captain's most precious possessions.  He took the map and the gold that was in his coat pocket and put them in my hands."

Jack flashed her a weary look, and he felt suddenly sick at hearing this.  What a fool he'd been when he was ten!

She smiled warmly to herself.  " I don't know what happened to him, I never did see him again… But…" Then she shrugged.  " That was how I got the map, and the gold that I handed to you."

" Aye…" Jack said softly, bearing into her with his gaze.  " That's a very interesting story… indeed."

Emma colored, stiffening under his gaze. " It's the honest truth! As you asked! It took me nearly thirty years to get the courage to face Hell Water again… but I think with a solid crew and a good captain, we can conquer it!  You…" and she blushed, despite herself.  "You seem like you might just be able to beat it… I couldn't take no for an answer from you- so… I pursued you…"

Jack looked flattered, " Well, I may be crazy love, and I admit I've gotten out of some pretty messy corners… however…" and his voice dropped a notch. She frowned and watched him apprehensively.  " I'm not stupid…now do ye want to tell me what it was ye saw under the water that night, or don't ye?"

Her breath caught in a tiny gasp, she shuddered. " Well—"

" If it's some kind of sea monster, then ye can forget it. I'll not go there." Jack said with finality.

" No! It wasn't that—"

" Well, what was it then?"

" A—" she swallowed and took a deep breath. " A shark…"

" A shark? Is that all?"

" No! You don't understand!" She shook her head and brought her hands up, reaching out for his collar.  She grasped onto it, leaning forward for emphasis.  " It was huge! It was the largest monster of a shark I'd ever seen. It could have swallowed eight people whole in one giant bite!  It must have moved into the territory while the pirates were away… the minute they jumped into the water, it was waiting for them! It was terrifying!"

She froze, realizing her position and quickly let go of him, falling backwards into the sand and shivered.  " So, there you go, that's my selfish story." She took a deep breath and slowly let it out  " I was going to use you and your ship to get to Hell Water so I could retrieve my treasure…"

" Yes…I wouldn't have expected less of you, love." Jack said with a fair nod. " It's what any pirate would have done, in that sort of situation. It's what I would have done." 

She wasn't sure whether to take that as a compliment or not.

" However," Jack continued in soft tones  " That still leaves us with the problem of the giant man eating shark…"

Emma nodded in agreement.  

There was a short silence.  " So…" He called her to attention and she brought her eyes up to meet his reluctantly.  Jack was squinting at her with one eye partially closed.  "When were you planning on telling me all this, love?  Before, or after we'd gotten there?"

" Before…but...I'd wanted badly to be a member of your crew. For the code to apply…" She said softly.  " You would have just thrown me overboard otherwise."

He pursed his lips, regarding her levelly. Then rolled his eyes skyward and gave a tremendous sigh.  " You know, the code is really more like guidelines than actual rules…"

Her eyes shot up with a sudden glimmer of hope.

" Even if you'd been part of me crew, I would have killed you without hesitation."

The glimmer of hope died instantly.

" However…"

She dared to hold her breath as she watched a narrow grin spread across his face.

" It's not too different from what I was expecting, actually.  Giant sharks I can handle… with the right leverage… that is…"

" Really?" She said quickly, feeling her heart lighten dramatically.

" Aye… besides, you saved my life a day ago. I don't like to have blood debts lying over my head. Savvy? So… I figure the least I could do would be to sail you to Hell Water…that treasure is mine by right, after all."

"You were going to take me anyways!"

" But I didn't know I was risking my neck, those of the entire crew, and my ship at the time!" He argued.

"Yes you did!"

Jack ignored her and continued on without flinching. " For now though, love… let's keep all this to ourselves.  I'll have to find the opportune moment to tell my crew about you.  But let me be the one to tell, savvy?"

She glared at him, but realized it was hopeless to argue, and so nodded slowly, " What about Will and Elizabeth?  You said they were there when you pulled me out of the water…"

" You can tell them your story on your own time then," Jack said with a shrug of indifference. " Well then, daylight is breaking, we've got work to do today if we're to sail by the morrow."

There was a silence as he stood up and started walking away. Emma frowned; she couldn't leave the conversation on such unsure footing. She stood up and started following after him.  " So, you're going to take me to Hell Water, as you've agreed?"

" Aye!"

" In exchange for saving your life?"

" Aye!"

" And you'll recover your treasure?"

He stopped and rolled his eyes, then swayed back to look at her in one brisk motion with his head at a precarious tilt.  " Aye! It's what I've already said!  I still have a mind to go after my treasure."

"And what about MY treasure?" She said, trying her best to act calm.

 "Well…the problem there is…" Jack said with a look of regret, pursing his lips as he put his hands up with palms pressed together.  " Ye see… The treasure is _The Black Pearl's_ by right.  The Crew and I all get an equal share. You are still not a member, my dear…"

She wished fervently for her dirk, so that she might be able to gut him with it on the spot.  But Jack continued talking, letting her angry gaze slide off of him like water.  "However, I may agree to give you what you want…"

" You will?" She took a step back, surprised.

He flashed her a sly grin.  " I said 'may' love, may… let's just say, it depends on your performance, savvy?"

"Performance?" She asked with obvious confusion. " What performance?"

He didn't answer, and instead shifted his walk to a peculiar but spirited bounce as he swaggered along the sandy beach.  The crew by this time had started to stir.  The sun was rising fast in the sky now, chasing the shadows of night away. 

"WHAT!?" She cried.  "What do you mean by that? Hey! Sparrow?! You _filthy _PIRATE! STOP!" She ran after him, furiously, managing to cut him off in mid stride.

He stopped, looking down at her with a mixture of amusement and annoyance. " Yes?"

Emma jutted her chin out at him, and as hard as she tried to hide it her eyes were stinging with angry tears.  She'd just told him her entire story, divulged her secrets to him, the only human she'd ever known that she had believed cared about her even the tiniest bit…  She'd risked her life to save him, drove herself to exhaustion to find him… and he was just walking away from her?  All he could ever think about was himself! That selfish, rotten, bloody PIRATE! How DARE he! 

_"He never even THANKED me for saving him_!"

Jack watched her, his eyebrows drawn together in consternation.  "Love, what in the blazes is wrong with ye?"

But without warning, she brought her hand back and slapped him as hard as she could, sending him off balance in an almost complete 180-degree rotation. He grunted and staggered. 

" If you're so smart, why don't you take a wild guess!?" She said with vehemence. 

He turned back to her, squinting and working his jaw. "Ahh… yes… I suppose I deserved that…"

" Tell me what you're planning!"

He swayed back and transfixed her with his steady, condescending gaze.  " Look here darling… You're just going to have to trust me."

" Ha! Trust a pirate like you? Not likely."

" Fair enough…" He said, not taking his eyes off of her.  She took a deep breath, feeling her heart quicken at his gaze.  He was so gorgeous, and yet… so completely impossible to understand. He had that familiar amused look on his face, like he was thinking dirty thoughts. Suddenly, she became uncomfortably aware of just how close he was standing to her.  They were practically touching toes.

" Ummm…" She realized she'd forgotten what she was going to say to him next, she'd been too caught up in the moment. "Uhhh…" She floundered for something intelligent, and blurted out the first thing that came to mind.  "So… are you not even going to thank me?"

" Beg pardon?" He questioned, tilting his head and sending his hair jewelry swinging.

" For saving you? Ohh- forget it! It's pointless to even try to—" But she swallowed the last of her sentence as a firm hand wrapped around her waist without warning.  He drew her against his body with a short jerk, then dipped her back unceremoniously, and kissed her full on the mouth.

It happened so fast, it took Emma a moment to register exactly what was happening, her heart leaped in her chest. She resisted for a moment, bringing her arms up, trying vainly and push away, but it did no good.  As she gave up the fight, she realized to her amazement that it was quite a nice kiss…  Her heart was pounding so loudly it was all she could hear, and her senses were filled with the salty sea smell of him, mingled faintly with sweat and rum.  This was definitely the Captain Jack Sparrow that she had hoped to come back to… 

She didn't know how long the kiss had lasted, but it left her breathless when he finally released her.  Emma staggered back, looking at him in open-mouthed wonder.

" Thank you…" He said softly returning her gaze with his intense, darkened eyes. 

"…Whh…why did you do that?" She said, trying to keep her voice from shaking.  Her heart was still beating madly in her chest. She felt light headed and thought for a moment that she might faint.

" What? You don't like how I show my gratitude?" He looked at her in mock consternation. 

" That's not what I meant!"  
            " Well, next time say what you mean."

" I mean, WHY did you kiss me!?"

Jack raised an eyebrow and paused, considering her question.  " Because you were standing so close that I couldn't resist? I don't get these opportunities every day you know."

She growled under her breath about bloody pirates and turned and stalked off in the opposite direction of the camp. 

"What?" Jack called after her.  " Can't a mate get any love?"

            She ignored him and continued her trek.  After she'd gone a fair distance, she turned around apprehensively and saw that he had not followed her.  He had continued on towards the camp where the pirates were now all fully awake. 

" _Why did I have to put my lot in with him_?" She thought sourly.  _" What did he mean, he couldn't resist?" _She sat down reluctantly in the shade of a palm tree, and pushed the loose strands of hair out of her face, tucking them securely behind her ears. She grudgingly admitted to herself that she'd enjoyed his kiss, almost too much.  If he'd held her a moment longer, she was sure she would have embraced him.  She gave a long sigh and let her head fall back against the smooth white trunk of the tree and closed her eyes.  Then, his words from their earlier conversation ran through her mind uneasily.

_… Let's just say, it depends on your performance, savvy?"_

" _Performance? What did he mean?"_  Then she sat up with a jolt. That was what she'd been about to press when she forgot what she was going to say to him! She was trying to get him to tell her what he was planning and he'd given her such a distraction, it had caught her completely off her guard.  She felt her cheeks grow hot with embarrassment and she sat back again, folding her arms against her body with a glare of grim determination.  

"_If it's anything dirty… I'll KILL him!"_  
            


	10. Trust me, Love!

**_Pirates of the Caribbean – The Secret of Hell Water_**

**_(A/N-I have a few comments to make prior to this chapter:_**

**_1:_**_  I'm probably being over-cautious. However, I don't want to get yelled at. So I'm lettin' ya know that the romance is gonna step up a notch in this chapter. I'm still keeping my rating at PG-13 though, because I don't think it's gone far enough to be R- anyways… there ya go… ye be warned!! _

**_2:_**_ I want to thank you all again for your encouraging reviews! You all are sooooo great and it really keeps me motivated to finish this story. I'm greatly enjoying writing it, btw. Thank you all!****_

**_3:_**_ Also, I just wanted to reiterate something that concerns me,  since I'm getting a few reviews who seem to think my take on Mermaids is a bit 'inaccurate'…* ah-hem* As I said before, I'm making up my own rules about mermaids here—I know what a siren is, and I know mermaids aren't typically feared amongst sailors, but as I said before... I'm bending the 'rules' for the sake of the plot, and because I can because I'm the author and I can do whatever the hell I want! So there! =P Muahahaa! )****_

****

**_Chapter 10- Trust me, love!  
             _**

It was well past noon by the time Emma finally decided to join the crew.  They were too busy to regard her for more than a moment, however, but some shot smiles of welcome or uttered a few words of amazement at her miraculous appearance from the day before.  

The hard-hearted seadogs were covered from head to toe in dark smudges of ash and grime as they toiled in the unmerciful heat of the sun. The sounds of chopping and hammering could be heard over bare snatches of song and the barking orders of Jack Sparrow, who was directing the proceedings skillfully.

" Spread the pitch evenly Duncan! It will not hold properly otherwise. Do you want her to sprout a leak while we're in the midst of Hell Water?" 

  Emma walked up to Elizabeth, who was sitting on the white beach with a long sliver of bone fashioned into a needle.  The lady pirate was deeply involved in the process of sewing up the spanker sail, which had sustained a huge gaping hole as a result of the battle.  

" H- Hello." Emma spoke softly as she approached, nervous at how Elizabeth may regard her, since her secret had been discovered. But to her relief, Elizabeth looked up at her and smiled warmly, then gestured with a nod for Emma to take a seat beside her.

" I'm glad to see you awoke.  You slept so soundly yesterday I wasn't sure if you were going to recover."

Emma gratefully sat down beside her. "Is there anything I can do to help?" She glanced out at the pirates who were toiling on the shore boats out in the inlet.  " I… can't really be much help to them out there, I'm afraid."

" No—" Elizabeth said in understanding.  Then put down her needle and regarded Emma levelly. " So, I assume you had a conversation with Jack?"

Emma nodded, frowning and a rush of indignation filled her. " Yes… I did."

Her quick-tempered answer made Elizabeth frown.  " What did he say to you?"

" Certainly not enough to be considered proper!" Emma said heatedly.

" Proper?"

" Well—" Emma hesitated.  She realized then that she probably shouldn't have spoken out in such anger.  She did not want Elizabeth to know that Jack had gotten the upper hand in their arrangement and it galled her to think that Elizabeth might pity her.  She was hardly the kind of person who would go about whining and complaining when she didn't get her way.  " I guess that's not quite the right word for it… We just—well… came to an understanding." She said the last part with a hint of bitterness.

" Well, I suppose that is good." Elizabeth said after a brief silence.  She wanted badly to ask Emma about a million questions, but wasn't sure if she had the right to prod the girl, who seemed rather evasive at the moment.  Another silence descended, where they could hear the raucous yells of the pirates from across the inlet.  Finally, Elizabeth's curiosity got the better of her and she dared to ask the question that was foremost in her mind.  " Yesterday, we saw Jack pull you out of the water… Will and I did…"

" --I know…" She said hastily, glancing back and forth to see that no one was trying to overhear.  " Jack told me."

Elizabeth nodded.  " Jack seems to think it's to your benefit to not let the other pirates in on the truth of the matter.  Which, I must agree with." 

"You do?"

" Yes." Elizabeth smiled apprehensively, then looked down at her work and thrust the needle through the tough canvas.  " The pirates are a superstitious lot.  Mr. Gibbs especially… what they don't understand, they will fear.  And I don't know how they will handle the truth.  It would be best to let Jack handle it, he knows his crew best."

Emma gave an audible sigh.  " It's what I was afraid of, so I was waiting for the opportune moment to tell him.  I suppose that this morning was it.  Though I'm not sure if it did me much good."

Elizabeth gave a chuckle.  " You sound like Jack Sparrow."

" I hope not!" Emma said this with a vehemence that made Elizabeth jump slightly, the needled slipped from her grasp and fell on the white sand.   " He's a villainous scoundrel! I can't believe I had half a mind to trust him. The conniving ruffian!"

Elizabeth had been searching for her needle during Emma's tirade and was listening with half an ear, but by the end she abandoned the quest and regarded her sternly. " I'm sure whatever Jack did, it was to his best advantage. That's what you have to learn about Jack Sparrow.  He's smarter than he lets on and twice as cunning. "

" You talk about it as if it's okay with you?" Emma said exasperated.

Elizabeth laughed.  " He's a pirate! You know as much as I do what you should expect! If you wanted to go sailing with an honest man, you should never have given him your map."

As Emma listened to Elizabeth, she reluctantly had to agree that the female pirate had a good point. Her heart sank, " He must think I'm terribly naive." 

" On the contrary, I think he rather admires you." She resumed her search, and moments later, located the needle on top of the sand and held it aloft clumsily between her thumb and forefinger.

" You do?" Emma asked hesitantly.

Elizabeth nodded, threading the needle with a little trouble and resumed her tedious patchwork.  " He mentioned briefly that you filled him in on some more of Hell Water's more… dangerous obstacles… because you'd been there before."

Emma opened her mouth for a hasty explanation, but Elizabeth continued without pause.  " And he told Will and I your general plan to use his ship to get there a second time.  I think he admires your spirit. Even though he would never admit to it aloud."

Emma listened to her with incredulity. She had never entertained the faintest idea that Jack might actually admire her.  In every moment that she spent in his company, he always seemed to do his best to ruffle her feathers.

" I think he likes you." Elizabeth stated with finality.

Emma scoffed. " No way! All he's ever done is taunt me. He takes delight in making me uncomfortable!"

" Some men have strange ways of showing affection."

" Well I hate him!"

  Elizabeth raised one eyebrow and regarded Emma, a tiny smile of amusement played across her face.  Emma balked, then after a short pause, reluctantly sagged down in a defeated posture.  " Okay, well… I don't _hate_ him…"

" Whatever you feel… I'm just telling you what I think. It's up to you to decide whether you'll accept or reject it."

At this moment, Will approached and sat beside them. He smelled strongly of pitch and while his hands had been hastily cleaned in the ocean, he still had a great smear of black across his forehead. Elizabeth eyed it with a hint of amusement.

" Emma, it's nice to see you're okay." He said with a nod. Emma smiled at him and inclined her head in a brief gesture of thanks.  

In her mind, she would much rather continue to discuss Jack Sparrow with Elizabeth. The idea of his liking her was unsettling.  However, she admitted that she felt an irresistible attraction to the roguish pirate Captain.  The only problem there was, in her stubborn mind she couldn't get the uneasy feeling that he had something up his sleeve. She knew it had something to do with her.  She wanted to trust him, to be able to be easy when he shot his occasional glances at her from over the water (as he'd been doing steadily since she sat down next to Elizabeth). He had the most cunning look of amusement on his face. That smile sent her pulse racing and she thought again of the brief kiss he'd given her that morning.  But her overbearing reason quelled the upsurge of emotion, and she told herself sternly that he was obviously up to no good. She couldn't trust such a scoundrel and it was best to forget about the prospect of seeing what it might be like to spend more than just a little quality time with the infamous Captain Jack Sparrow.

She firmly planted this resolve in her mind, wondering how long it would last. 

" Emma?"

Emma snapped out of her thoughts and directed a nervous glance up to Will, who had presumably asked her a question and was waiting for her to answer.

" I'm sorry, I missed your question." She said embarrassed.

Will glanced at Elizabeth, and then settled down comfortably on the sand.  " I was just asking you, if you felt like telling us a little bit of your story…"

" – About how you got the map, and things…" Elizabeth added quickly.  " And also, perhaps, how you came here after suffering a fatal gunshot wound."

Emma nodded and slowly began her tale in the same way that she had told Jack.  Elizabeth and Will listened to her attentively throughout, pausing to ask a question occasionally, and Emma answered them to her best ability.  She told them of her desire for mortality, and the treasure that was hidden amongst 'Black Jack' Sparrow's secret hoard that would grant her wish.  She told them a shorter, less graphic version of the tragedy she'd witnessed at Hell Water that fateful night almost thirty years ago, and how she had saved the child and he'd given her the map and gold as a reward for her effort. 

" And so here I am." She finished with arms outspread. " I honestly had no idea what I was getting myself into when I approached Jack at the beginning of this adventure. And I still don't know whether I regret it or not.  But he seems to feel confident that he can conquer Hell Water, so I suppose I should count myself lucky to have found such a brilliant pirate."

" Brilliant, or mad…" Said Will under his breath.  Elizabeth regarded Emma with a look of amazement.

" So, he thinks he can get past that shark? I wonder what he has up his sleeve…" She said softly.

" I asked him!" cried Emma indignantly.  " He wouldn't tell me."

" That's Jack Sparrow for you." Said Will with a nod.  " But whatever it is, I'm sure it's a crazy."

" Which means, it's most likely to work." Added Elizabeth perplexed, then she shrugged and commenced to sew the last of the sail. " Oh well, there's no pressing him when he wants to keep you in the dark. He'll tell us when it's to his advantage, I'm sure of that."

" That's what I'm afraid of." Emma mumbled. 

Will smiled at her comfortingly.  " Don't be so worried.  Jack is sneaky, but he's not cruel.  He wouldn't hurt you."

Emma wanted badly to believe him.  And just as she was about to express it, she saw Jack approaching from off shore.  He walked towards them with his familiar swaying stride. 

" Elizabeth, how's the sail coming along, darling?" He stopped a few feet from the group, resting one hand on his hip and regarded them cooly.

" Almost finished." She said, holding it up for inspection. 

Jack barely took a glance at it. " Excellent, love. Hand it to Quartetto when you're done, he'll string it to the Mizzenmast." Then he turned to Will, who was regarding him with a look of speculation.

" Mr. Turner." He said sternly, Will jumped to his feet at the commanding tone. 

" Aye, Captain." 

Jack shoved a loaded pistol into his hands and a large empty bottle about the length of his forearm.  " The mates say they saw tracks of some large animals out amidst the trees on the island.  They think it may be wild pigs. Go and kill one for me and see that it bleeds good and plenty. Collect every drop of blood you can squeeze from it in this bottle, savvy?"

" Aye?" Will looked at the Captain questioningly.  " And, the meat?"

" Bring it back." Jack said conversationally. " It'll be good to eat tonight."

Will glanced at Elizabeth, who smiled at him and then he set off at a trot and disappeared into the forest scenery.  Emma watched him go, then looked back to see Jack sauntering off towards the ship.  She thought again about what Elizabeth had told her and jumped to her feet, wiping the sand off the back of her dress hastily.

"I'm going to ask Jack something." She said in a shaky voice, betraying how nervous she honestly felt.  " I'll be right back."

Elizabeth watched her run off to catch up to Jack before he reached the ocean's edge.  And thought idly to herself that they made a rather nice pair.  After hearing Emma's story, her ideas about Jack's uncommon attention towards the mysterious, feisty golden haired woman were reinforced.  Emma was a difficult fish to catch, quite literally, and Jack seemed to be more than up for the challenge. That first night in Tortuga, when she ran into the Pirate Captain again with his new 'companion,' she immediately had noticed the care he'd taken when Emma had fallen into his arms drunk. She could clearly recall the times on the ship when he'd joked and happily harangued the flustered girl who was trying her best to prove her medal against the pirates.  And it became even more apparent later, by his uncommon hatred of Commodore Norrington after the battle on board the trade ship. Normally, Jack would not have batted an eyelash at the ordeal, but he had been unusually angry.  The reason was one that Elizabeth could only guess…  Jack had believed Emma dead.  

Furthermore, she had carefully watched him last night, through the corner of her eye while feigning sleep.  Jack had been sitting beside Emma during the drinking festivities, and when he believed everyone else was asleep, she witnessed that he had stroked Emma's cheek and gazed down at the girl with such a look of hazy fascination, that she found it difficult to believe he was the same swaggering, boisterous pirate she'd agreed to set sail with from Tortuga.

" _Yes…"_ she thought to herself, watching Emma talking animatedly to Jack, who stood looking down at her relaxed, feet sturdily planted shoulder width apart on the sandy beach.  "_ It will be interesting to see how this develops…"_

  
~*~*~*~*~*~

As each pirate came to shore and the ship repairs were finished, Jack handed them a similar empty bottle and the same instructions to go into the woods and shoot an animal, collect it's blood and bring back the meat for storage.  Most turned and strode confidently into the wilderness without asking questions, with the exception of Mr. Gibbs, who took his bottle and eyed the captain wearily.

" Captain, what devilry are ye about? Killing animals and saving their blood?"

" Don't question orders, Mr. Gibbs." Jack said smoothly.  Mr. Gibbs shrugged and turned to follow the rest of the pirates, muttering under his breath.  By the time he'd left, Will had returned with his catch.  He dropped the pig carcass on the ground at Jack's feet and handed him the bottle filled with the deep red liquid.

" At ease, mate.  This'll do fine." Jack said as he stowed the bottle carefully in a shallow crate, then began to cut up the carcass with the dagger he kept in his boot.  Will went to wash the blood stains from his hands in the surf; Elizabeth was on the ship, helping with the newly patched sail.  

Emma walked up to Jack, surveying his tidy work.

" What is all this for?" She asked.

" This?" Jack gestured vaguely to the rather lean young pig he was carving.  " This one will be for dinner."

" No! I mean… what are you having them kill the animals for?"

" Shark bait." Jack said matter-of-factly.

" Shark bait?" Emma's eyebrows shot up as he said it. 

" Aye, shark bait."

She tried to press him further, but he only shook his head and smiled to himself, refusing to divulge any more of the plan he was cooking.  Resigned to the slight information, Emma reluctantly began helping him as the rest of the pirates arrived with their catches, a few had caught rabbits, there were more pigs, and one had managed to catch a rather large boar.

Will's pig was stewed with some wild onions and a few carrots from the galley that Elizabeth had scavenged, Jack had brought up the last of the rum from storage, and the combination made for a very nice feast as a reward for the days hard work.  Eager to be off the next morning, the crew took the free evening to their advantage. The red sky that glowed at sunset set all their hearts pounding and brought gape-toothed smiles to many dirty and sunburned faces.

" A red sky at night, is a mate's delight!" cried Mr. Gibbs emphatically.  " There will be smooth sailing on the morrow!" 

" Aye! Smooth Sailing! " Roared the crew with approval. 

They ate heartily, drank rum, danced and sang at the top of their lungs as the sun set behind the horizon. The sky grew dimmer and dimmer, until the only source of light was the faint twinkling of the stars, the tiny sliver of moon that rose high in the sky, and a much less 'odorous' bonfire than the night before. Golden lights danced about the campsite, decorating the faces of its intoxicated crewmembers with hard-edged shadows.

 Emma was pleased to be able to join the night festivities this time around, and even Elizabeth and Will took part in getting rather tipsy as the crew celebrated.  Emma took turns dancing around the campfire with the pirates, whirling her skirts high about her knees and spinning wildly about.  They passed her from one mate to another like a spinning top and just as she stumbled, loosing balance as a result of both the spinning and the large amount of alcohol she'd consumed, she found herself caught in Jack's strong arms.  He sagged for a moment under the sudden weight, and then lifted her back on her feet and they danced in a half-hazard, broken-timed waltz, laughing and singing raucously. 

_Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me.   
We kindle and char, inflame and ignite,   
Drink up, me 'earties, yo ho.   
We burn up the city, we're really a fright,   
Drink up, me 'earties, yo ho._

 Jack had one hand wrapped securely around her slim waist and all Emma was conscious of was the world around her spinning wildly in the background.  Suddenly, Jack's hand let go and she found herself tripping out of control, falling heavily in the sand and laughing just at the edge of the glowing ring cast by the fire. 

            He fell down beside her and they both continued singing.  The pirates crashed their bottles together, breaking a few and showering droplets of rum and shards of glass upon the sand.  Elizabeth and Will by this time had disappeared into the shadows, no doubt wishing to be alone from the ruckus.  Emma didn't blame them. She looked at Jack, who was grinning slyly, regarding her out of the corners of his exceptionally dark and shadowed eyelids.

            " You know… for a complete scoundrel… you're very good at dancing." She said, trying hard to sound serious.  " No! I mean it, you can really sweep a girl off her feet!" With a joyful laugh, she brought the rum bottle to her lips.  She noticed it was empty, and with a shrug tossed it into the darkness.

            Jack had draped a loose arm around her, leaning into her heavily with drunken enthusiasm.  " Aye! I'm a lot more than a good dancer, love." He said with humor.  " And I can do much more than sweep a girl off her feet, if you catch my meaning."

            " Just what are you insinuating, Jack Sparrow?" Emma said, shoving him over with a laugh. 

            " Call me _Captain_, love, _Captain_!" Jack said, rising onto his elbows with difficulty.  " Why does everyone forget the _Captain_ part? It isn't so hard to say, is it?"

            " No… _Captain_…" She said the word slowly and with perfect enunciation.

" That's better, darling." He said, bringing his hand up and resting it on her shoulder once again.  " You know, I never thought I'd ever set foot on this god forsaken island ever again.  But now, I can finally come away from it with a good memory."

" I can imagine being marooned here would be a terrible thing." Emma said with exaggerated mournfulness.

" Oh yes." Jack agreed, bringing his free hand up for emphasis.  " Not once, love, but twice!"  
            " Fate can be so cruel." She shook her head, leaning heavily onto him.  "You must be the luckiest man in the Caribbean to escape both times so easily!" 

The glow of the fire cast dancing shadows on Jack's face as a sly smile came upon his lips and he tightened his grip on Emma's shoulder.

" Yes, luck had dealt me a fair hand many times…" he said off-handedly.  Emma glanced up at him, squinting and noticed Jack returning her stare, looking down at her with a familiar mischievous glint in his eyes.

" You know…" She gave a tiny chuckle and wagged her finger at him.  " I'm REALLY going to regret this tomorrow morning."

" Why is that, love?"

" Because you're nothing but a villainous, disreputable scallywag… and I can't _resist_ you!" 

" Oh, aye?" He flashed a metallic grin and before Emma could speak another word, he pushed her back onto the sand and kissed her. 

Without the faintest trace of resistance, she slid her arms up and wrapped them around his neck, returning the kiss with equal fervor.  They rolled out of the dim glow of the fire as some of the pirates called raucous cheers to Jack at this sudden development in the festivities. Emma found that she was lazily sprawled on top of him.  He had one hand firmly around her waist and another rested cupping one side of her bottom.  She was unaware of everything but the blood pounding in her ears and the tremor of excitement that ran through her body as he nibbled his way down her neck to bury his face between her partially exposed cleavage.

" Now really…" She said a little breathlessly, sitting up slightly.  " I'm not sure that this is entirely proper, Captain Sparrow…"

He easily rolled her onto her back with one hand holding her wrist to the warm sand.

" I agree with you, love… It's not entirely proper at all. What would you wish me to do instead?"

" I wish for you to kiss me… again." She demanded.  " And then we shall see where to go from there."

He grinned his familiar, roguish smile, and obliged her request.  Coaxing her mouth open with his tongue. 

She could taste the familiar, sweet tang of rum on his lips and wondered idly if she was dreaming.  She knew that if she was, she didn't want to stop.  Jack's presence was intoxicating even more so than the waning effect of the alcohol.  His teeth bit at her lower lip, then slide down to her chin.  She shivered as he caressed her neck with calloused fingers, bringing them down and around to trace her collarbone.  Her breath caught as he moved steadily lower, until his hand rested gently on one firm breast. Emma's eyes flew open in that instant and the stars above were brought into sharp focus.  She gazed up at them, and felt a nervous twinge in the pit of her stomach.  Jack, in the meanwhile was continuing down her body with tongue teasing caresses, unbuttoning the front of her shift as he did so.

" I was wondering..." She said aloud. He grunted and looked up from his work. He had made it as far as her navel by the time she spoke up.  His voice was tinged with annoyance.

" Aye?"

There was a short silence, and then she spoke in a surprisingly steady tone, " When all this business with Hell Water is done, I was just wondering what you were going to do…"

 " My home is on my ship…" He said quickly.  "_The Black Pearl_, I'll sail her until the day I die."

" I envy you…" She said languidly. 

There was a long pause, Jack said nothing, and instead rested his cheek on her ample bosom.

            " I know what I want… but I haven't thought what I'll do after I get it." She spoke up to the stars.  For the first time, she realized the campsite was silent.  The rest of the pirates must have all fallen off asleep while they'd been rolling around in the sand.  " Maybe I'll get a ship of my own, I was thinking, life as a buccaneer would be very exciting."

            She was answered by a gentle snore.

            " Jack?" 

            " Bottleo'rum…" he mumbled softly, already fast asleep.  

            Emma lay still, listening to the gentle snores and the sound of the waves crashing upon the shore. The weight of the nights activities were finally beginning to take their toll.  Her eyelids grew heavy and she drifted off to sleep, too tired to even bother pushing Jack off of her chest.

~*~*~*~

Emma woke early the next morning to find the crew already up and striking their camp, which consisted of moving several of the crates and empty, unbroken bottles back to the shore boats and packing up the meat, which had dried overnight. Her first thought was that she had had the most peculiar but wonderful dream about merrily rolling about with Jack Sparrow, who'd kissed her repeatedly, among other things...  Then, she noticed that her dress was unbuttoned practically to her navel and blanched. Had it been a dream??  Like lightning, she rolled onto her side and did up the buttons. Maybe it was just coincidence… She glanced around apprehensively, the pirates were throwing her sly glances and smiling to each other knowingly.  A few gave her a sly wink before picking up their burdens and carrying them off to the shore boats.  Hesitantly, she rose to her feet and caught sight of Jack already on board the ship.  She thought that she might meet his glance, but he was busy with the preparations for their departure.  She felt incredibly awkward in that moment, and slowly came to the realization that her 'dream' last night had in fact been reality. And what was more, she found that she could remember it in surprising detail.

" _I knew I was going to regret it in the morning." _She brought a hand to her head, realizing belatedly that she had a slight headache. " _Maybe I can just pretend like it didn't happen…" _Then she glanced at Jack again and felt her heart skip a beat when their eyes met and he flashed a smile. She could see his teeth shining from all the way across the water._  " Who am I kidding?! I willingly took a tumble in the sand with him! And what's more…" _She thought with growing horror_.  " I actually feel… REALLY good right now!"_

Collecting her thoughts, but still feeling uneasy about this sudden revelation, she took a deep breath and walked over to Elizabeth.  She sat upon a crate and was nibbling on some stale bread.

" Here." Elizabeth said, thrusting a piece at her.  " This will make your head a little better."  
            " Oh, thank you." Emma took the bread and chewed it with a grimace.  She was surprised that her head was not pounding quite as bad as the first time she'd drunken in excess.  But this time around, she had been more restraining and the rum was of a better quality than the ale.

" Elizabeth." 

" Yes?"

" Umm...never mind…" 

She turned and walked away towards the shore boats, too embarrassed to ask the question plaguing her mind.  " _Did I do something incredibly stupid last night or not?_"  She still wasn't sure of the answer herself, but nevertheless found herself blushing as she relived one moment after another in her mind as it came back to her in vivid detail.

Elizabeth watched her back as Emma walked away, swaying unsteadily.  She had a smug expression decorating her bold features.

" What are you smiling about?" Will asked, sitting down beside her.

" Just that I don't know whether to pummel that bloody Jack Sparrow, or praise him." Elizabeth answered.

" Praise him? I don't suppose you're going to tell me what this is about, are you?"

" Well… no…" Elizabeth gave him a mischievous grin and stood up, popping the last of the bread into her mouth. Will had been asleep before she had, but Elizabeth had picked up on Emma and Jack's excursions the night before.  She was relieved that Jack had fallen asleep so soon, as he was prone to do when too far gone with drink. She had first hand experience on that front. She thought of that night four years ago when she'd burned all the rum on the island and smiled in amusement.

" Now what are you laughing about?" Will asked her, one eyebrow raised in consternation.

" Just reminiscing about the last time I was on this island."

His other eyebrow shot up and he gave her an incredulous look. " Oh? You told me you burned all the rum…"

" Yes…I was just remembering Jack's face when he saw me doing it... It was truly priceless..." Then with a laugh, she picked up a bundle of cooking utensils that sat beside her.  " Shall we?"

They set off together with the remaining crew to take the last shore out to the awaiting _Black Pearl_.  The sails were already being unfurled.  By the time the sun was a quarter from its peak in the sky, the ship was at full sail, cutting through the waves at terrific speed with a strong easterly wind at their backs.

" If this keeps up, we'll be arrivin' at Hell Water before the week is out." Mr. Gibbs confided to Emma, who had resumed her usual task of mopping the deck.  She smiled but didn't say anything.

" Mr. Gibbs!" 

Emma gave a tiny jump at the sudden sound of Jack's voice from behind her.  She whirled around to regard him.

" Aye, Captain." Mr. Gibbs stood to attention.

" Go below and find a long coil of the thin rope, and then find some mates who have some fishing experience, have them fashion a net."

" A net, captain?"

" Aye… a good strong net.  Square, about as tall and wide as your own height."

Mr. Gibbs scratched his head, but nodded and went below to fulfill the Captain's request.  Emma furrowed her brows in confusion, then dropped her mop and ran after Jack.

" Are you planning on catching that shark? A net isn't going to hold it." She said under her breath." No net would! Even if it was the size of this boat!"

" Did I say I wanted to catch it?" Jack asked her, turning on his heel and regarding her with a look of mild amusement in his sparkling brown eyes. 

She blinked back startled, then tore her eyes away from his gaze, blushing furiously as a scene from the night before played across her mind involuntarily.  " N…no…but…" Then she frowned, pushing the image away and looked up at him squarely.  " I think you're taking it too lightly.  That thing is beyond what you could possibly imagine!"

Jack waved her warning aside with a vague gesture.  " Look, remember what I told Will before we met with the Commodore's Trap? What a man can and can't do? Or… in your case.. 'woman.'"

" Yes?"

" Well, the same applies here and in very simple terms.  You can either trust me, or you cannot.  Now- here's a little piece of advice, it will make this trip much easier, and most assuredly more successful, if you can try to trust me. If you cannot… then there's no point to this voyage, now…savvy? If you cannot trust me, you may as well take a little dive off the plank and find another Captain.  One who's also crazy enough to take ye to Hell Water that you _can_ trust."

She pursed her lips and squinted up at him, studying his face.  His smile was firm and confident, and his posture was relaxed.  Finally, she took a deep breath and said, " Fine…"

" Excellent, love." Jack swayed back sharply and gave her a tiny wink as he turned and sauntered back towards the Helm, whistling to himself.

_" I'll trust him.._." She told herself steadily, and turned her back to him and went back to the mop that lay on the deck in a puddle of dirty water. " _He has a point… I'm lucky to have gotten this far. And whatever plan he has, I have to trust him, or there would be no point to me staying on his ship. _" She dipped the mop in the bucket of water and splashed it out on the deck. " _I think Elizabeth is right. He's not cruel…"_ She thought vaguely again of last night's sojourn on the beach and felt the color rising in her cheeks.  _" Far from it… I have no choice… I will trust him_!"

With this decision firmly planted in her mind, she smiled, feeling more cheerful than she remembered being since the start of the trip.  A terrific weight of apprehension had finally been lifted from her shoulders.  Jack may have his own, unique way of doing things… and there was no doubt he was dishonest and uncommonly cunning. But he was resolved to get them to and from Hell Water in one piece, it was as necessary to his own survival as to everyone else's on board the ship.  Therefore, he must have a good plan, and if it involved her, well… she would have to do her best, and that was all there was too it.

" _But I'm not leaving, without my treasure_." She said firmly to herself.  " _No matter what he tries… I'll get it if it's the last thing I do!"_

_(A/N- yah! Please leave me your comments!)_

_Sneak Peak: Next chapter: They FINALLY reach Hell Water! Woo hoo!! _


	11. Jack Sparrow's 'Opportunity'

**_Pirates of the Caribbean – The Secret of Hell Water_**

****

_(A/N- Woot! Next chapter and they FINALLY reach Hell Water! Heh heh!  THANK YOU so much for your reviews!  * Hugs you all the death* you people are just too awesome for words!  Please keep the comments coming…  it helps keep me typing._

_ Oh! I want to give you all the heads up- but I'll be gone on Vacation from August 10th- August 18th.  So there obviously won't be any updates until sometime in the week after next.  But I'll be back! And probably with the rest of this fic drafted.  So I can get right back into writing.  Okay- I'll shut up now… back to the adventure!!_

**_Chapter 11- Jack Sparrow's 'Opportunity'_**

Jack and his crew made good use of the strong easterly wind and _The Black Pearl_ cut through the water swift and true to its reputation as being the fastest ship in the Caribbean.  The crew, enlivened by the recent adventure (and triumph) on board the Commodore's Trade ship went about their work good-naturedly.  Many took a few moments out of their spare time to praise Emma on her excellent work of sneaking aboard the ship and creating the chaos needed to provide an opportunity for escape.  They were all aware, as Will had undoubtedly reminded them on several occasions, that they were in Emma and Elizabeth's debt.  Undoubtedly, if the two women had not taken charge of the situation, everyone would be locked in the gaol about now, awaiting the hangman's noose.

Emma's mysterious escape from the _The Black Pearl_, her brush with death, and the unusual circumstances about her reappearance on the Rum Cache Island were all topics skillfully avoided by the pirates.  It had become apparent that the crew had received strict instructions from Jack not to press the matter. 

" If ye ask me one more time about the wench, I'll hang ye in the rigging by your toes!" Became his usual, good-natured reply.

Emma was thankful for his use of authority in those situations.  She'd learned from the beginning of her voyage just how difficult it was to sidestep around questions she would rather leave unanswered.

From the moment she'd stepped on the ship and it had left the island in its wake, Jack acted like his usual foppish self, which included regarding her with no difference in his manner what-so-ever.  In one way this was quite relieving to Emma and infuriating in another.  With the exception of the occasional wink and knowing smile that he would flash at her from time to time, he acted as if the night they'd spent together had not even existed.  Emma, on the other hand, dwelled on it constantly.  She couldn't forget the sensation of his calloused hands on her skin, or the feel of his hot breath as he ran his lips down her neck. Every time her eyes met with his, her heart beat quickened and she would become distracted or forget what she was saying in the middle of a sentence.  What was more, she found herself prone to daydreaming about that night constantly. 

Now, they had been on the move for four days, and since that one night, she had not had the opportunity to spend any real quality time alone with him.  Part of her was relieved for this fact.  Her sensibilities told her that she didn't need any further distractions…  especially when she was so close to her goal of finding the Blade of Neptune.  Yet, every night that she curled up in her hammock, in the tiny living space she shared with Anamaria (which was an area simply curtained off from the rest of the crew) she was plagued with a constant, aching disappointment in the pit of her stomach.  Emma lay awake late into the night, scolding herself for her childish fancies about the roguish Pirate Captain. 

" _He's not the kind of man to loose his head over a woman, so you'd better not loose your head over him."_ She told herself firmly.  "_ If he knew just how often you thought of him, he'd laugh in your face!"_

As time passed, she came to a reluctant realization that with her final decision to trust Jack Sparrow, she'd unintentionally developed a tremendous, undeniable crush.  No matter how hard she tried, she just couldn't ignore it.

Three more days rolled by fast and fleeting.  That morning, Emma woke up early with the sunrise and spent the greater part of her day hard at work aboard the ship.  Most often she found herself scrubbing the deck, or occasionally helping with meal preparations in the galley.  There were one or two instances during the trip where she'd managed to corner Will and convince him to teach her a thing or two about swordsmanship.  She was chagrined to think that the reason Jack had almost died was due to her being captured by the Commodore, and while she was fairly good at defending herself with a dirk, she was not familiar with swords and cutlasses.  She didn't know enough offensive moves to be much good to the pirates in a battle. Therefore, she was resolved to remedy this situation, partly because it would undoubtedly be of use in the future, and also that the lessons helped her forget her personal troubles with Jack Sparrow.

" After you swing, you leave yourself wide open at your left side." Will said, pausing momentarily in his instruction.  " You have to assume the worst of your opponent, he will take every advantage he can, so don't leave yourself open!"

Emma nodded, clutching the wooden pole she was using as sword tightly in her right hand.  They went through a simple exercise, which dealt with consecutive blocks both high and low.  She managed to execute these well as they'd practiced, however at the end of the routine, Will flourished a tiny side step and had his sword at her neck before she could blink.

" You have to stop thinking defensively, I gave you at least five openings in which to attack during the routine." 

Emma took a few shallow breaths, panting in the heat that beat down on the sailors from the sun high overhead.  She thought fleetingly of the cool, dark ocean beneath the rolling waves and how much she'd enjoy taking a dive.  Sweating profusely was one unfortunate side effect of living above the surface of the water. She wiped the sweat from her forehead with her large, billowing sleeve. 

For lack of any wardrobe at all with the exception of her dirty slip, and the shoes and stockings she'd left behind on the Black Pearl, she had wasted no time in approaching both Elizabeth and Anamaria for any hand-me-down's they might be willing to lend her.  The clothes she got from them as a consequence, were a little too large for her petite frame, but she wasn't about to argue.  She looked the part of a pirate now with a random assortment of mismatched clothes, all carelessly tied onto her with fraying laces and more than a couple rips and tears.  One side of her dirty dark gray overskirt was tied up in a secure knot to display the faded red petticoat underneath which was heavily frayed and torn at the edges.  Her outer-bodice was of stained, damaged black velvet that had seen much better days, and her off-white linen under-shirt dipped so tremendously in the front that she wondered what on earth a woman like Anamaria was doing with a shirt so unlike her character.

" I wasn't expecting that, how did you move so fast?" Emma asked Will, after she'd gained her breath.

" It's all in the foot work." He leaned back against the starboard railing of the ship. " I'll teach it to you once you learn the sidestep maneuvers."

" I'm afraid I must interrupt your lessons, love--"

Emma gave an involuntary jump as Jack approached from behind her with one hand resting idly on his sword hilt. 

" --But young Mr. Turner here is needed aft." Jack gave Will a knowing nod of the head.  Will sheathed his sword in one fluid motion.

" Aye, Captain." Then spared a small smile for Emma.  " Maybe later then."

Emma opened her mouth to reply, but Jack spoke up first.

" I'll substitute for ye." He flashed a roguish grin at the girl, whose cheeks took on a slightly reddish tinge. " You're learning the rules of engagement in a fair fight from Will here, so now I'll have to teach you how we pirates fight."

" Oh?" Emma leaned on one foot and put her free hand on her hip, looking at him with a questioning glance.  " And how is that?"

Without a word, Jack whirled around and his sword was out of its sheath and upon her in an instant.  Emma's reflexes saved her and she managed a block just in time to deflect his sword from slicing through, much to her surprise, the laces in the front of her bodice. 

" Unfairly." Jack answered with a mock bow and a grin.  Emma gave him a callous look.

" Oh really? Do you always try to cut off the clothes of your students?"

" Only the female ones, love."

She frowned and gave a little nod.  " That's reassuring… I think…" 

As soon as these words left her mouth, she found herself fending him off again with her wooden stick.  He was as skilled in form as Will, and she could tell he was being exceptionally easy on her, as his swings lacked the strength to cause any great harm.  She was beginning to get the hang of the exercise and after parrying a low thrust from Jack, remembered Will's suggestion to try attacking.  When she thought she saw an opening, she lunged at him with the intention of poking him just below the ribs.   He moved aside easily and she hit nothing but air.  

Emma recovered quickly without loss of balance, however she was not fast enough.  The moment she straightened up, she felt the weight of his body pressed up against her back and the sharp blade of his sword grazing her throat.  Emma froze in that instant, Jack's free arm was wrapped securely around her torso, holding her in place.

" You made that almost too easy for me, love."

Emma swallowed with difficulty. She noticed her throat was parched and licked her lips nervously, wondering what to say to him.  She was acutely conscious of his warm breath on the back of her neck, and the closeness of his body against her back.

" Not intentionally…" She said, trying her best to keep a steady voice.

" Tha's good…" Jack said with a hint of humor in his voice.  " I like women who have a little fight in them."

            She could imagine the sly smile that was on his face. She could tell by his tone of voice that he was greatly enjoying this moment of triumph, and no doubt getting some pleasure out of the forced close contact.  A twinge of anger ignited in her at the realization that he was enjoying causing her unnecessary discomfort.  How despicable!  She frowned, thinking that if she could just get out of his hold, she would love to see the look on his face when she actually won _over him_ for once. Then, she remembered the dirk that she had secured at her waist.  At Anamaria's suggestion, she'd tied the hilt with a chord to a narrow belt, which was much easier to get to than keeping it hidden in a garter.  An idea sprung into her head.

It didn't take her a moment longer to move into action, with as much speed as she could muster, she slid the dirk out of its sheath, simultaneously twisting around in Jack's grip and brought the small blade up behind his back, pressing the point firmly against the vulnerable spot just below his lower right rib.  The knife was angled upwards, ready to plunge into his kidney.  It was a vital organ that would kill anyone almost instantly.

            " Ahh-" He gave an involuntary flinch, then replaced the brief look of discomfort with a praising glance.  " Very good… I noticed you had some skill with that knife."

Emma returned his smile with a smug look of triumph.  Her head was angled sharply upwards in order to meet his eye.  She was still acutely conscious of his sword pressed up against the back of her neck.

" Now, what are we to do love? It seems we're locked in a bit of a standstill."

            " It may seem that way…" Emma cocked an eyebrow at him in mock consideration. " Except, you're forgetting one very important thing."

            " And what is that?" Jack looked down at her with a look of genuine interest.

            " Well, you see… I can't die… and you can." She spoke conversationally, but low enough for only his ears to be able to catch.

            " Aye, that's true enough." His tone was thoughtful.  " However, you also forgot one other very important fact."

            Emma paused, the smile on her face faltered. " And that is?"

            Then, without warning he brought his free hand around and firmly grabbed her wrist that held the dirk.  Emma only had enough time to give a tiny squeak of surprise before he brought it up above their heads. He stretched it so tightly that, in consequence, she was forced to stand uncomfortably on her toes, teetering precariously with imbalance and (to her dismay) completely at his mercy.  Her eyes opened wide and she stared up at him in surprise.

            He leaned close and whispered in her ear.

            " I'm _Captain_ Jack Sparrow… savvy?"

            His lips had barely brushed her ear, but the contact made her heart pound even harder.  She struggled vainly to loosen his grip on her wrist, but it only made her totter on one foot.  She thought that she must look like a real fool in front of the crew.  Her cheeks grew red with embarrassment.

" You've made your point, _Captain_ Sparrow." She said heatedly, all her previous thoughts of romance had disappeared.   "Now you can let me go." 

" I was just wondering if you would like to tell me where you learned to use that dirk?" He asked her lightly.

She brought her free hand up and unsuccessfully tried to bring his arm down enough so that she could regain her balance.

" You can take a guess, I learned it from some of the other women who worked in the bar.  For my defense when the place got too out of hand." She said the words offhandedly, continuing to pull at his arm, which refused to budge.  " You filthy, rotten vagabond! Let me go!"  She brought her hand up and made ready to aim a slap. Jack saw it coming this time though, and let go without warning.  Emma uttered a cry of surprise at this sudden release and staggered forward, barely managing to regain her balance.  Jack had sidestepped around her the moment he'd let go. One she was sufficiently recovered, she whirled about furiously, ready to give him a verbal beating, but stopped at the look of total uncomprehending innocence plastered over his face.

" You're very good at that…" She said softly.

" Anything to avoid a slap, love… those things sting something awful." He confessed.

" Maybe you should stop doing things that would merit them." She folded her arms and shot him her best glare.

Jack shrugged. " Old habit I'm afraid… hard to break."

Mr. Gibbs interrupted them at this point in their conversation.  The weather beaten old pirate approached the duo apprehensively.

            " Captain." Mr. Gibbs addressed Jack with a shaking voice, wringing his hands together and glancing out at the distant horizon nervously. 

            Jack turned to regard Gibbs with mild interest, and reluctantly let go of Emma, setting her firmly back on the deck.  She rubbed her wrist absently with her free hand and regarded him out of the corner of her eye. One corner of his mouth was turned up slightly, revealing part of a golden tooth. 

" Aye Mr. Gibbs?"

" There be Hell Water, Captain! We're coming abreast of her!" Gibbs handed a battered telescope to Jack and gestured with his free hand towards the bow of the boat.  Jack took the eyeglass and sauntered over to the far railing, unfolding it as he did so.  He held it up to his eye and peered through.

" Do you see it?" asked Emma with excitement, coming up from behind.

Jack turned back to glance at them both, then handed the telescope back to Gibbs.

" Aye, all hands on deck! Shorten the Main Sail and hold 'er steady."

In the midst of the expansive ocean, an island was jutting out at many sharp, jagged angles like the lower jaws of some monstrous creature.  However, to say 'island' may not be quite the correct term for this particular spit of land.  It was not a whole piece of land, as one would expect from the term 'island.'  In this instance, it was a group of cliffs and sharp rocks that were so densely scattered, from far away it looked like one giant mound.  But as they grew closer, they could see that these sharp teeth were separate entities, joined sparsely by smaller rocks and outcroppings.   The narrow watery passages between the rocks and cliffs were treacherous and crooked.  It became abundantly clear now why the area had earned its name.  There was no place for a ship to land, or even safely anchor.  The currents were treacherous and the waves frothed up on the rocks, crashing dangerously in ebbs and flows. The wind blew first in one direction and then the other, and already there were dangerous clouds over the horizon that signaled a halt to the fair weather they'd been enjoying.  

Gibbs shouted the orders.  Emma watched as Jack took the helm from Anamaria.  He took the map out of his coat pocket, regarded it carefully, and then turned the dark wooden wheel to a sharp starboard. The ship angled sharply towards the left, cutting roughly through the turbulent waves on an invisible path set by 'Black Jack' Sparrow's map.  

It was about an hour later when the ship finally entered the realm of Hell Water. Jack angled sharply southwest as it made its way through the shallow reefs.  These reefs were the prelude to Hell Water, an invisible but deadly guardian that most ships that came sailing into those waters perished on.  _The Black Pearl_ was not just any ship though, and Jack was not just any Captain.  With the aid of his father's map, he directed his ship on a precise course, twisting and turning back and forth ponderously on an intricate path that would see them safely through the reef and into the land beyond. As they continued, it was easy to see on the near horizon evidence of wreckage from sailors who'd gotten caught on that reef during a storm or had run aground and had their ship dashed to pieces by the furious waves. They passed by torn sails still attached to pieces of mast, sticking up from the water and waving feebly in the wind.  Sometimes they saw the stripped down hull of a ship, and bits and pieces of debris were so frequent, Emma thought that if they collected them all, it would be enough wood to build 10 ships.

" What's down there?" Elizabeth had walked up next to Emma, and now stood peering over the railing into the deceptive blue water with the rest of the crew. Emma followed her glance; she could see patches of light and dark colors just under the surface.  It was an indication of drastic changes in depth.  But they were so frequent; she wondered how any ship would have ever been able to find safe passage through this underwater maze.

" Reef." Answered Emma softly.  

" Aye…" The gruff voice of Mr. Gibbs interrupted the two women.  They looked up to regard him with questioning looks.  The pirate gave them a wry smile and began tying down a loose rope attached to the main sail.  " If we run aground on it, it'll tear the ship apart, and us with it."

 All the pirates wore masks of various emotions, from excitement to fear, to fascination. The peril of Hell Water was finally setting into each person's mind.  Emma felt a tiny knot of nervous tension settle in the pit of her stomach, and she knew that the real danger was only beginning.    

She looked up at the helm and saw Jack.  His eyes were alight with a familiar fervor of anticipation.  In contrast with the crew, his face did not betray a hint of fear. She turned her head again to regard the ominous landscape as it grew steadily closer and inhaled the salty breeze.  A feeling of triumph washed over her in that instant, quelling the fear that had tried to take root in her just moments earlier.  She had finally made it.  She knew that somewhere in the middle of that dangerous conflagration of dense rocks and spires was their destination… The giant whirlpool of Hell Water and the treasure she'd been so desperately seeking.

~*~*~*~*~*

If Jack had ever thought that in all his long life, he had been uncommonly lucky, now was the time to say it.  The storm hit the moment they cleared the reef. It had been almost too close a call though.  Jack had instructed that they bring out the oars and if it hadn't been for the Black Pearls uncommon speed, they never would have made it out of the danger zone in time. Now, there was a good bit of open space still between the ship and the rocks for the storm to toss them about.  It didn't mean he could relax though.

" Tie down those sheets! Secure the topsails! Watch the Main yard!" He yelled over the whistling wind and the pounding of the surf.  The sky had grown perilously black with the overhead clouds.  Waves crashed over the side of the ship and rain pounded down at a precarious angle with the wind.  The crew lunged about, half-hazardly fulfilling orders as the ship rocked back and forth.  Their eyes were all aglow with the fervor of the moment, excitement and danger was what they lived for. And they faced up and fought the storm to the best of their abilities. Jack, standing at the Helm with water streaming off of his triangular hat in three miniature waterfalls, fought to keep the helm steady while the turbulent ocean threw the ship about like a toy boat in a bathtub.  He knew that if he lost control, they would find themselves upon those sharp rocks within moments.

" Jack! We have to loose the sails!" Mr. Gibbs yelled up at him from the deck.  " The ship, she won't hold much longer!"

" The storm is almost spent, she'll hold! " Jack shouted down at him to be heard over the roar of the waves. " Go below for the lifelines! And make it fast!" He knew these kinds of storms well enough. They left as fast as they came.  But it was throwing the last of its punches and the end was always the worst.  Yet, he could not risk setting the sails loose, the ship would have no direction then, and they would surely be pounded to splinters in seconds.  They would have to make due at shortened sails and steer as best they could.

Emma, during all of this, was up on the helm with Jack, holding onto the Mizzenmast with all her might, rooted to the spot in complete terror.  The rain and the spray of the sea drenched her from head to foot.  She was determined not to loose hold and fall into the ocean itself.  The minute her bare feet left the solid wood of the floorboards, she'd turn back into a mermaid.

Suddenly, a great scream pierced through the roar of the waves and the whistling wind.  Emma and Jack both jerked their heads up in time to see Will loose his footing as a great wave went crashing over the deck. 

" WILL!" 

It was Elizabeth's voice they had heard.  She was clinging tightly to the shroud as the ship lurched and bobbed in the water.  But Will, in his attempt to try and get her down from her precarious position, had gotten caught unawares.  Emma realized with horror, as the wave swept over the edge of the boat, that he was nowhere to be seen. He'd been swept overboard. Jack had seen the same, and shouted loudly.

"MAN OVERBOARD!"

" WILL!" Screamed Elizabeth again, she let go of the shroud and landed heavily on the slippery deck, then tripped and slid, lurching precariously with the roll of the ship over towards the port side railing where Will had disappeared.

Emma saw her and knew she was about to jump in after.  She wondered if she could get down there in time to stop her, but Cotton had also heard the shout.  He bounded out to her and grabbed hold of her waist, keeping her from jumping over the edge.

" NO! Let me go! WILL!" Elizabeth fought the pirate, and even though he could not speak, he was still strong and steadfastly refused by his tight grip to let her go over the edge.

Emma glanced out at the water over her shoulder, searching frantically.  Just when she was about to despair, she thought she saw a head poking out of the waves. 

" It's him!" She cried.  Forgetting her fear in that instant, she dashed down the steps to the deck, almost running straight into Elizabeth in her haste.  " Rope!" She cried, " ROPE!"

Cotton and Elizabeth looked at her incredulously. Then, a sudden glint of understanding lit Elizabeth's eyes and she stopped her struggle.  Then, Gibbs burst onto deck with several large coils of rope gathered over his shoulders, in answer to Emma's plea.

" LIFELINES!" He cried.  The distraught crew descended on him like hawks, taking the offered ropes and lashing one end securely to the mast, and the other around their waists to keep them attached to the ship.  Gibbs threw one coil at Emma, who grasped it and tied it securely to her waist in a swift motion.  Elizabeth took the other end and twined it securely around a cleat on her left.  

Emma didn't spare another moment.  She put one foot up on the rail and pushed off of it, diving in perfect form into the turbulent water with the rope flowing behind her. Elizabeth knelt down with hands clasping the wooden dividers, searching the waters frantically for any sign of them.

The wait was almost too much for Elizabeth to bear.  If Will died, she didn't know what she would do.  

" Please… oh please…" She prayed fervently, ignoring the water that streamed down her face and neck from the spray of the surf.  

It was perhaps no more than a minute or two, but the time seemed to stretch to infinite lengths when Emma's golden head was seen once again bobbing up and down amongst the dark, perilous waves.  Elizabeth's breath caught in her throat and she bounded to her feet, almost loosing balance and getting pitched overboard herself as the ship rocked precariously.  She could see Will's curly dark hair poke above the surface as the girl lifted his head out of the water. 

" HANDS TO PORT SIDE!" Jack's voice roared loud and clear before Elizabeth could raise her own alarm.  " Man overboard! Take in the ropes!"

Elizabeth and several others grabbed hold of Emma's lifeline and pulled against the force of the pounding surf.  The progress to Elizabeth seemed painfully slow. However it wasn't long before they brought up the wet and shivering form of Will Turner. Elizabeth was the first to kneel by his side and he coughed up seawater onto the ships deck. Emma had tied her lifeline around Will's body, which made sense, since Emma was hardly in danger of drowning.  Though the rest of the crew didn't know that, and they were all frantically leaning over the port side of the ship, searching the waves for the girl who had disappeared.

Jack had given the helm to Crimp, and bounded down to the deck to see the status of his crew.  He knelt next to Will and put a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

" Jack…" Will looked up at him then pointed weakly out at the ocean. " Emma is—"

" Aye, I know!" Jack said emphatically.  "Don't fret… we'll fetch her. She's in no immediate danger… Elizabeth, take dear William below." Elizabeth nodded and helped Will to his feet and they all staggered as the ship lurched again, Jack almost fell over but righted himself quickly. " Hurry!"

Jack joined the crew in looking over the port side of the ship, searching the waves. But he knew she wasn't going to surface until the water calmed.  He could already feel the storm lessening, the rain clouds were passing overhead and the wind had been reduced from a gale to a strong and steady blow.  

" Back to your posts, ye pack of hen hearted numbskulls!" He ordered.  " I've told ye many a time, not to worry about the lass, she'll be fine."

" Captain?" Mr. Gibbs questioned.

" Ye'll find out soon enough." Jack said dismissively.  The waves were already lessening their magnitude and the rain was virtually stopped. He turned his back on the questioning glances and walked up to the helm, surveying the sights around him.  They had not been blown far off course.  The island was still at a near distance, but he guessed that they were west from his desired passage.  It would take a little maneuvering to bring the ship about and set her back on course.  He took the helm once again.

" Bring her about, starboard side." He ordered, and the crew fell into motion instantly.

~*~*~*~*~*

It didn't take long before they were pointing the right direction and steadily closing the gap between themselves and Hell Water.  Jack sauntered down to his cabin with the intention of shedding off his soaking wet coat.  He opened the door and stepped in to meet face to face the dripping wet figure of Emma. She stood in the center of his cabin, in the midst of a growing puddle on the floor, and had been caught in process of ringing the water from her hair.  She jerked her head up to regard him as he closed the door and folded his arms with a look of mild amusement.

" Hello." She said, straightening up and throwing her head back, causing droplets of water to shower in every direction from her still soaking head of hair.

" Back from the dead again?" He inquired conversationally. 

Emma smiled a little shyly.  " So it would seem, wouldn't it?"

Jack swayed on his feet back and forth in his characteristic manner, regarding her dubiously.  " Yes, well… it hardly surprises me. Next thing I know, you'll be sprouting wings and declare yourself my guardian angel." He stripped off his heavy black jacket and threw it loosely on the back of a chair, then took the ends of his dirty red striped sash in his hands and wrung it out, sending a cascade of water spilling onto the floor to join with Emma's puddle.

Emma raised an eyebrow at him.  " I'm sorry to disappoint you."

" Not at all, love." Jack grinned at her, displaying gold and silver rows of teeth.  " Oh, Will is down below with Elizabeth, I'm sure he'll be eager to hear that you're back.  The rest of the crew though…" And he trailed off, looking her up and down like a very tender piece of meat. " I think they'll finally be wantin' some answers."

Emma stiffened, trying to think of what to say.  Jack just gave her a wink and opened the door, gesturing for her to precede him out onto the deck. 

She walked mechanically out into the patchy sunlight.  The clouds from the storm had disappeared as quickly as they'd come, just as Jack had predicted.  All the pirates on deck stopped what they were doing to turn and stare at her in various states of shock.

" Gents! See, what did I tell ye?" Jack said with a humor filled tone of voice.  He stopped beside Emma, who was staring with rapt attention at a stain on the ground with her hands buried in her skirts.  " Perfectly fine!"

" What devilry is this, Jack?" Mr. Gibbs was the first to speak.  " No person could have survived such a tossing about." He walked up to them and looked at Emma as though she may have been a ghost. 

" Ahh- no person could, no, Mr. Gibbs." Jack agreed with a swagger.  " But then again, our Emma isn't just any normal person…savvy?  I'm sure any mate would wager that. " He glanced at Emma, who had looked up from her spot on the ground to regard him with a wide-eyed expression, then he looked back at the awaiting crew.  " … Let's just look back for a moment, shall we?"  Jack waved his hands about energetically, every hand on deck watched in rapt fascination as he began to recount Emma's various unbelievable feats.

" She is an exceptionally strong swimmer, able to swim all the way to that Island from the site of the battle with the Commodore…"

 There was a rumble of understanding from the men, who all agreed that was most unnatural.  

" She was afflicted with a deadly bullet wound, and look at her now! Strong and healthy as ever she was a'fore."

Once again, there was a chorus of 'aye' and 'it do be true,' from the crew.

" Anyone care to take a guess, yet?" Jack asked.

He was answered by a lot of dubious faces and utter silence with the exception of Cotton's parrot that squawked loudly, " Shiver me timbers!"

Jack pursed his lip and regarded them flatly with a raised eyebrow, then shrugged and continued.

" The earsplitting noise you heard on the Commodore's ship…? Remember that? You all had to cover your ears."

" Mercy!" Cried one of the pirates.  " It do be true! It was frightfully un-natural!"

Jack gave him a slight bow.  "Right you are, Duncan." Then gestured to Emma with a slight jerk of his head.  " That was her voice."

There was a sudden, oppressive silence.  And then the crew all burst forth at once in a tumult of questions, oaths, and exclamations.

" A bloody mermaid! I told ya Crimp! I told ya!" Cried Quartetto.

" Pay up, Ladbroc. That's ten shillings ye owe me, I told ye she was something un'natural!" said Kursar in a triumphant voice.  The pirate he had addressed muttered under his breath and reached into a pocket for the promised amount.

" If you look at her she'll steal yer soul!" Cried Moises, putting a hand up to shield his eyes.

" She's a mermaid, not the Devil ye belly-crawlin' wharf rat!" shouted Anamaria, who clouted the pirate on the back of the head with her open palm. 

Emma couldn't believe her ears.  In general, the pirates were not hostile towards her at all.  A few regarded her with looks of disbelief and fright, but the larger portion seemed to have no trouble grasping the idea.

" Jest as long as she don't sing, I'm okay wi' her!"

" Wind in the Sails," squawked Cotton's Parrot.  

Mr. Gibbs was the only one that seemed to find gravity in this new information, and shook his head in disbelief.

" It can't figure if it's good luck or bad, Jack! I don't know what to call it!"

Jack Sparrow put one arm across the nervous man's shoulder and said in a low voice, pitched so only his first mate could hear,  " Call it luck, mate… or better yet… _opportunity_…"

Mr. Gibbs threw a sly glance to Emma, who was talking shyly to one of the enthusiastic pirates, then squinted at Jack dubiously.

" Aye? How do ye figure?"

" Captain,"

Jack and Gibbs both looked up to see Anamaria approaching. She regarded them both with a smirk.

" What is it, love?" Jack asked.

" We've reached 'The Fangs.'" 

" Oh, good…" Jack muttered softly and looked up to see the ship closing in on a narrow passage.  It cleaved through the rocky landscape in the form of two high granite cliff faces that towered on either side of them.  ' The Fangs,' were the gateway to the entrance, and took the form of two high pointed spires, jutting out from the water on either side like inverted spikes. " Hoist the sails and rack out the oars."

" Aye, Captain." Anamaria strode away, yelling at the pirates to get back to work.  They scattered from Emma to their proper posts. 

 "Gibbs," Jack caught his first mate on the shoulder before the man could walk off.  " Call a meetin' of the crew…tonight on deck… but keep it secret from Will, Elizabeth, and our bonny Emma."

" Aye, Captain." Mr. Gibbs nodded in understanding and they exchanged looks of mild amusement.  " What in the devil do ye have up yer sleeve, Jack?"

" Let's just say, this kind of '_opportunity_' only comes along once in a lifetime. And I don't mean to waste it!"


	12. Shark Bait

**_The Secret of Hell Water_**

_(A/N- Well, I'm back from vacation! Yay! I have the rest of the fic roughly drafted too. So now I know EXACTLY what is going to happen. ^^;; So now that I know, I have no excuse for not finishing, right? LoL- I have a few comments to make prior to starting this chapter:_

_1) __I did a little bit of research and discovered that the shark I am thinking of with the really really big jaws is actually prehistoric. (lol- I remember seeing a large picture with eight men sitting in this huge gaping jawbone a long time ago in middle school or something.. so much for that idea!!) So I've changed the size of its jaws in the story to be somewhat unrealistically large, but not REALLY unrealistically large. ^^;; _

_2) __Some of you are asking if I will have lemony content later in this fic. ^^; It certainly seems to be going in that direction, doesn't it? LOL! All I can say is we'll see… I will leave that entirely up to my muse. So far I've gone about as far as I can push PG-13… According to my outline, I have a section towards the very end where I could easily insert some lemon. Do you all WANT lemon? Lol- you know I can't deny you- the readers! So tell me what you want._

_3) __Alisa Blackwell: You asked about how I know all the nautical terms? ::innocent expression, toys with her hair:: Isn't it amazing what you can learn on the internet? LOL! ^_~ Just did a little research, it helps that my dad was a sailor too, he knows all that nautical mumbo-jumbo, so I'll ask him if I have any questions.  I live on the ocean too, I've been around sail boats my whole life, though I've never really been into sailing them. )_

**_Chapter 12- Shark Bait_**

The night was uncomfortably hot and stifling on board The Black Pearl. Which was fitting to the mood of the crew.  There was a general feeling of tension that steadily escaladed as they tirelessly rowed forward through the narrow rocky passages to the light of the nearly full moon.  It cast an eerie glow over the dark water.  Jack had smoothly ordered Will, Elizabeth and Emma below to clean the unsightly mess that the last storm had wreaked upon the galley.  

" Why do we have to clean this? Especially you, Emma… they should be celebrating how you saved Will… not making you do chores!" Elizabeth muttered angrily.

" Would you rather be rowing?" asked Will. " We can't exactly sail through these kinds of passages.  The wind is far to erratic and unpredictable."

Elizabeth furrowed her brows, but continued scrubbing.  " That's true… but the rowers have stopped.   There's something going on above."

" Gibbs' is probably just giving the crew a break." Said Will.

" That's true…" Elizabeth agreed with hesitation.  " But I know they're up to something!  Jack's been unusually cheerful today ever since we passed by The Fangs.  He's got something up his sleeve. I wish I knew what it was!"

She watched Emma's frown deepen as the girl paused momentarily to dip the brush in a bucket of soapy water.  " Emma, do you know what he's up to?"

Emma glanced up at her.  A fleeting look of fear passed over her face.  " What?"

" Jack Sparrow! You know what he's up to, don't you?!"

            Her question was more an accusation, and Emma straightened up, meeting Elizabeth's eyes with pale conviction.

            " I have no idea what he's planning." She confessed.

            Elizabeth's gaze darkened and she stood up quickly, walking towards the door without hesitation. Emma jumped to her feet and ran to intercept her.

            " Where are you going?"

            " To find out what he's up to!" Elizabeth said angrily. 

            " You think he'll tell you?" Emma asked her exasperated. Elizabeth pursed her lips.

            " I was going to eavesdrop."

            Emma looked from Elizabeth to Will and back again. They had identical looks of cool anger etched on their faces.  She threw up her hands in exasperation.

            " Wasn't it you two just a few days ago that told me to trust him?  Can't you two take your own advice? I know he's up to no good. I'm sure it has to do with me.  But whatever it is… you told me that he wouldn't intentionally hurt anyone.  I'm not afraid for whatever is in store. But if you two are so ready to believe the worst, then where does that leave me?  Was I wrong to put my trust in him?"

            They gawked at her sudden outburst, and Elizabeth reluctantly backed a few steps and then sat down on a low stool, looking suddenly very tired.

            " I'm sorry…" She said softly after a moment.  " You're right."

            " We don't have much of a choice right now." Emma said heatedly.  " I can take care of myself, whatever plans unfold I'll do my best to help Jack in whatever hair-brained scheme he's planning."

            " He must have a reason to not let us in on it." Said Will, agreeing with Emma's reasoning.  " He'll let us know when it's to his advantage."

            " That's our Jack Sparrow… all right…" muttered Elizabeth, then shook her head and laughed half-heartedly.  " I wonder if I'll ever understand how that pirate's mind works."

            The night passed without further incident.  The pirates took turns at the oars, steering the ship precariously through the sharp jutting rocks and the maze of tall granite cliffs and winding passages. Sleep was to be had in short intervals as the watches were rotated, and when the morning sun cast it's first rays of light down upon the ship and Emma climbed up onto the deck, the first thing she noticed was a noticeably lighter mood about the crew.  They hailed her with "good mornin' Miss Emma!" and " It be a mighty fine day, don't it Miss Emma?"

             She wondered at the sudden change in attitude.  It was as if they'd completely forgotten the terror that Hell Water had instilled just the day before. 

            She had a tray of food for Jack and made her way towards his cabin at the far stern, nodding her head in response to all the pirates, who regarded her with looks of wonder and appraisal.

            _" What in the world did he tell them last night?"_ She thought nervously as she knocked lightly at his door.  At a word from inside, she opened it and stepped in, closing it behind her skillfully with one foot while keeping balance as the ship swayed back and forth.

            " Good Morning, love!" Jack said with a grin and a twinkle in his eye. He leaned back precariously on his chair with both feet resting on top of his desk.

            " I've been hearing that more often than usual, this morning." Emma said as she set the tray of food beside his left foot, then folded her arms and did her best to glare at him. " What did you tell them last night?"

            " Tell them?" Jack looked at her with one eyebrow raised in mock confusion.  " I haven't the slightest clue what you're talking about."

            " Somehow I figured that would be the case." She muttered, letting her arms fall to the sides and shook her head.

            Jack shot her an appraising look, then grabbed a piece of the stale bread and tore a chunk off of it with his teeth.  " Sit down, darling… I'd like to have a word."

            Emma, seeing no chair in the room other than the one he occupied, contented herself by perching on the windowsill.  Jack studied her closely for a moment, and then picked up a crisp red apple and tossed it to her, she caught it by reflex alone.

            " Eat." Jack said, taking another bite of his bread.  

            Emma glanced down at the offered fruit, in truth, she was far too nervous to have any appetite at all. Her mind was far too occupied with the apprehension of what the conversation in the next few minutes would entail, and she wondered if she should refuse.  But in the end she forced herself to take a bite. 

            The apple was overly ripe and bitter in her mouth, but she was hardly the sort of lady to spit it out, and so forced herself to swallow it.  Before she could take another bite, Jack began to talk.

            " If the weather holds, we should reach the treasure site very soon." He said offhandedly.  " At the moment, there's no immediate danger, however as soon as we come abreast of the whirlpool, several things will need to happen, and quickly."

            " What things?" Emma asked, wondering what he was getting at.

            Jack ignored her question smoothly.  " This is the point now, Miss Emma, where I'll need you to tell me everything you know about how to get that treasure.  If 'Black Jack' Sparrow could get to it, then I know I can, but I don't know the secret. How do you get a treasure that's apparently at the bottom of the ocean?"

            Emma pursed her lips.  " Is this the 'performance' thing you were talking about earlier?"

            Jack gave her a questioning glance, and after a short pause, cracked a roguish smile that made her frown darken.  " Perhaps…"

            He was evasive as usual, and as smooth and slippery as an eel.  Emma sat silently for a time, thinking.  This secret was her trump card.  She had held it over his head for the entire voyage.  From day one, the secret of Hell Water had been her only defense against his constant attempts to oust her from her rightful place on his ship.  She glanced up at him and saw him returning her gaze with intensity. On one hand, she had decided to trust him, and yet on the other… she was giving up her only known advantage over the sly pirate captain.  Her mind was at war with whether or not to tell him what she knew.  

" Are you going to tell me, or aren't you?" Jack asked her conversationally.  Emma realized she'd been staring and quickly tore her eyes away, feeling her face heat up.  

" It comes down to this love…" He said, leaning forward in the chair and setting his feet firmly on the wooden floor.  "You can tell me what you know about the treasure, and justify your reason for being here… or you can keep your mouth shut…" And then Jack gave an obvious shrug.  " –But I'm afraid doing the latter would result in turning the ship around.  This scenario would leave me with the small problem of a pack of disgruntled empty-handed crewmembers threatening to mutiny, and would undoubtedly put your own private mission in jeopardy, not to mention lack of compensation for myself and my ship and the money I spent to outfit her for this voyage...savvy?"  

There was no malice in his look and it gave her heart, reinforcing her desire to trust him. He seemed genuinely interested in her, and she was suddenly overwhelmed with the desire to please him.  Jack's argument made perfect sense and she couldn't find the words to dispute it. 

" The secret is in the Whirlpool." She said softly.  " Not inside it, but just to the left of the rock that is shaped like a fist, there is a current that it generates which, if you allow it to take you without resistance, will bring you down towards the far northern facing cliff about forty feet below the surface of the water and safely on the opposite side of the whirlpool.  There will be a low overhanging shelf of rock right in your line of site.    Swim under the overhang and then upwards.  You'll discover it leads into an underwater cave.  The air bubbles that over time have been drawn down by the whirlpool and caught in the current have all escaped up and become trapped in this cave, creating a rather large pocket of air.  It's like submerging an empty bottle in the water upside down and holding it in place."

Jack had been listening to her silently.  His hands rested on the tabletop with fingertips lightly touching, every once and a while an eyebrow would flicker up, or his eyes would widen.  At her last comment, he nodded his head sagely.

" And…the treasure?" He asked her after a moment's pause.

Emma shot him a tiny smile and shrugged.  "Why… it's in the cave, of course.  You'll need ropes and help from the ship in order to haul it up.  There's no way a human could normally swim up against that current, especially laden with gold."

Jack cracked a wide, mischievous grin.

" What is it?" she said, trying not to sound nervous, but the look he directed at her suddenly made her feel acutely conscious of the low cut shirt she was wearing. 

" I was just thinking… how you'd make a fine pirate someday."

Emma stiffened, " Does that mean, you're going to take me as crew on your ship?"

Jack grinned and stood up.  " Did I say that, darling?"

" No…But you implied it!"  She stood up to face him, daring to keep her hopes up.  It occurred to her that it didn't matter so much whether or not she was crew in terms of her initial reason, but she genuinely liked the pirates on board the ship, and Jack especially.  She'd been secretly entertaining the thought of trying to stay on board with him after Hell Water was done and she had recovered her treasure.  She would need to find a new life above the water, and the life of a pirate was a hell of a lot better in her mind, than dodging the groping hands of smelly drunken sailors in a bar all night long.  Those were her only two options, as far as she could tell.  She had no money and had no desire to marry, and the thought of adventure on the high seas filled her with excitement. She would be content with that lifestyle, but only if Jack Sparrow was nearby.

" Implied and said are two very different things, love… you should have learned that by now.  Are you going to finish that apple?"

Emma's momentary hope faded quickly at his evasive maneuvering, and was replaced with sudden rage. She suppressed a growl of frustration and hurled the apple at him with all her strength. Jack caught it deftly with one hand.  Looking very cool and unruffled, he took a large bite, ignoring her glare completely.

" You know, love… you should try to curb that temper of yours." He said through a mouthful.  " It's hardly becoming of a lady."

" Well, I guess I'm not exactly your definition of a lady then… am I?" She spat the words at him acidly and stalked past the desk and towards the door, feeling extremely jaded. Jack rolled his eyes and arched one eyebrow with an obviously look of hopeless abandon.  

Emma stiffened at the look, misinterpreting it for indifference.  " Well, excuse me now while I remove my UN-ladylike presence from the room… and not bother you further, _Captain_ Sparrow!"

" I never said I wanted a lady…" He said very softly as soon as her tirade had ended. Emma paused with her hand at the door latch.  She turned abruptly and glanced back at him. He was regarding her with his usual cool demeanor.  His mouth was turned up in a tiny smile, and the ever-present glint of mischief was in his eyes, plus something new… a strange sort of fervor was in his gaze as he looked at her.  It sent a tiny shiver down Emma's spine, and she fought against his magnetic glance that wanted to draw her closer to him.

She realized that as she was watching him, she'd forgotten to breath.  She inhaled sharply.  The tension in the room had ebbed somewhat.  She narrowed her eyes and continued to glare.

" But you implied it."

" Faith!" Jack leaned back again, regarding her coolly down the bridge of his nose.  " Why must I be cursed to go in nothing but circles with you? I already told ye… implied and said are two very different things."  He said the last part with a shake of his head, which sent the jewelry that framed his face swinging wildly.

Emma's glare turned to annoyance, and she took a step away from the door, turning to face him fully.  "Well then, say what you want and spare me your implications!" 

Jack's grin widened, displaying his glittering gold canines.  " Fair enough! I want a saucy wench… to ravage and have my way with until I'm satisfied… savvy?"  The look he gave her as he said this left no doubt in Emma's mind to whom he was referring.

Both of Emma's eyebrows shot up and her jaw dropped open.  Whatever rebuke she had had prepared died in her throat at this sudden declaration.  She stared at him speechless. Not only had he said enough to prove his undeniably naughty intentions towards her, but also for once rendered her completely and totally floored with astonishment. No man had ever dared be so forward with her before, even drunk!  

Had she been a well-brought up woman of quality, she would have undoubtedly told him without hesitation that he would do nothing of the sort if she had any say in the matter, and then find authorities to press charges.  However, she was not a woman of quality, nor was she in a position to press charges, and probably most shocking of all, was that she didn't mind in the least his implications.  But… had he just called her a 'saucy wench?'

_…Saucy wench???_

"Are you trying to infuriate me?" She demanded after a long pause.

" Naturally."

" Why?" and she narrowed her eyes at him suspiciously.

Jack stood up and started walking towards her.  " Because I know you like it."

" I do not!"

" Yes you do."

He stopped inches from her face, looking down at her laughingly.  Emma clenched her teeth and aimed a sharp slap at him.  Jack caught it before it could hit home and held her wrist easily.  Emma did not try to wrench it free, because she was too busy staring up into Jack's dark sparkling eyes to notice.  And suddenly, as the tension in the room mounted to nearly unbearable heights, and just as Emma was seriously considering launching herself at him wantonly, a terrible gut wrenching crack split the silence as the ship lurched precariously to one side.  It was the result of an obvious collision, and the impact sent Emma straight into Jack, he tripped on her skirts in an attempt to catch himself, and they both fell heavily in a tangle of legs and arms.  He let out a colorful oath, then pushed her aside and sprang to his feet.  He grabbed his hat and clamped it on his head by sheer habit, and was out of the door all in the space of a heartbeat.  

Emma lay sprawled on the floor, still wondering what in the world had just happened. Then she noticed the creaking of the ships boards and rose unsteadily to follow him to the deck, her heart was beating so hard that it felt like it would leap out of her chest.   She had to admit, even with this sudden danger now presenting itself; it wasn't beating solely out of concern for Jack's ship.

            ~*~*~*~*~*~*

" Captain!" Mr. Gibbs' tone of voice was tinged with panic as Jack made his way on deck and walked over hurriedly to the pirates assembled at the starboard side.  " It came upon us so fast, there was naught to do but run 'er up against the rocks.  The tail wind is far too strong 'ere, she would ha' gone straight to Davey Jones otherwise!"

Jack could see what he meant immediately.  They had reached the giant whirlpool and the treasure site.  The rocks Gibbs mentioned were a loose cascade of debris from the westward cliff wall they'd been passing by.  The ship was now snuggly trapped with the rocks preventing further movement forward, and the cliff immediately to the port side, keeping The Black Pearl safe from continuing on into the main channel and to the doom apparently waiting for it in the form of a giant funnel frothing and swirling down to the depths of the large bay. The north and westerly sides of the bay were protected by high sheer cliff walls of solid granite, which formed a rough crescent shape border on one side of the large turbulent bay. The south (from whence they came) was wide open, as was the east and both apparent openings were framed by cliffs that defined specific passages.  Jack wondered where the eastward passage would take them, as that would most likely be their smoothest course of escape without having to take the trouble of turning the ship about in such dangerous conditions.  He would have to consult the map later.

The elated feeling of the pirates from that morning had vanished, and they looked at the swirling whirlpool with dread.  None had imagined such a huge monstrous thing as that.  It was easily fifty feet wide and no one could guess how deep it dove down.

Jack looked up at the black and white pirate flag, which was fluttering wildly with a strong tail wind as Gibbs had deftly observed.  He looked behind him, towards the stern at the long narrow passage they'd sailed.  Like a wind tunnel, it channeled all the wind in their direction with a steady, strong blast.

" _It must never change… this tailwind…"_ He thought.  " _It would take any ship straight into that mess._" Then something he'd seen on the map finally clicked in his mind.  Of course!  That was the specific wind direction his father's map had specified.  The ship needed to run aground on a sandbar, and the thing to do would be simply to keep the wind directly at their tail.  He could not see the narrow strip of sand that would save them from getting caught in the deadly current, but he was positive it was there.  

Feeling very pleased with himself, now that he knew what must be done, he turned his mind to the other small problem that he'd had to carefully consider…the giant man-eating shark in the water. His eyes scanned the water's turbulent surface, and on queue with his thoughts, he caught a glimpse of a long, sharp dorsal fin as it dipped and disappeared beneath the waves not too far away from the northernmost wall.  It was right near the treasure site.

Jack did not betray the faintest hint of worry at the sighting, and with his usual perpetual smile he looked up to scan the cliffs that hovered just above them off the port side of the ship. 

" _Yes, this spot will do nicely…_" He thought, looking up at the short cliff rising about twenty feet above them, There was a rocky outcrop at the top that looked roughly like a finger thrusting vertically up towards the cloudless sky. The top seemed to level out, and there was a small overhang that would serve as the perfect platform to look directly down over the water.  The spot where the ship was currently occupied with unaffected by the current, and the water looked as calm as could be expected with the wind blowing sharply northward.  He turned to regard the crew, swaying on his feet with a droll grin on his face.  They watched him in apprehension. 

" Mr. Matellot, and Quartetto. Take yourselves below mates, and bring up the shark bait, and bring one of the remaining grapples and a strong chain, while yer at it."

The two pirates that he had addressed broke into identical gape-toothed grins and sauntered down to the hold.  The rest of the pirates seemed to shed some of their nervousness as they watched their Captain standing so relaxed and sure of himself.  Jack had one hand resting lightly on his hip and he looked out again over the turbulent whirlpool, but did not see another sign of the shark.

It was not long before there was a small crate sitting on deck beside Jack and a large casket.  Emma recognized them, as the meat stores from the animals they'd killed on the island, and inside the crate were the bottles of blood Jack had instructed the men to gather.

" Matellot and Quartetto will climb to the top of that cliff there," He pointed it out to the crew, who all turned to gaze up at it with unreadable expressions. " It'll be the site for the shark baiting."

She knew exactly what Jack was planning to do, and she found herself beaming at him with pride.  Not only was he a daring man, he was exceptionally smart.  She couldn't help but grin at him.

" Jack, I see what you're planning on doing." It was Will's voice that made them all turn, " But how are you going to lure it?"

" Why, with the proper bait, Mr. Turner." Jack said with a swagger.

Will gestured to the casket of meat and shrugged.  " Yes, it will be good… but we'll need to lure it to this location, won't we? How do we do that?"

" As I said before… with the proper bait."

Jack and the rest of the crew all turned to look at Emma in unison in a very matter of fact way. Will and Elizabeth's mouths both fell open in complete amazement as they grasped the full implications of Jack's plan.

For Emma, the feeling of elation she had instantly evaporated, and her grin fell off of her face. A cold grip of fear descended upon her as the pirates all gazed at her reverently, like they might look at a martyr who was giving herself valiantly up for sacrifice.

" Ms. Emma, being a mermaid and the only able body among us that is naught in danger of drowning… shall render us that service…" Jack said with a flourish.  The crew punctuated this declaration with many applauding comments.  Emma felt her knees go weak; she must have swayed in that moment, because there was a pair of strong hands against her back, keeping her steady.

" Jack Sparrow…" It was Elizabeth who spoke with a voice cold as ice.  " Do you expect her to just jump in that water and let a 30 foot shark with jaws fit to eat three men whole _chase_ her all over Hell Water?"

Jack returned her glare with mild amusement.  " Why, of course not, love! Not chase her all over Hell Water!"

Emma thought her heart might have skipped a beat, and relief washed over her in that instant.

" Just to this little spot here…"

Her brief moment or relief vanished once again.

" That's despicable! I can't believe she would volunteer for such a thing!" Elizabeth walked around to regard Emma.  "You wouldn't, would you?"  
            Emma pursed her lips, and gazed around at all the crew, they looked at her with such a fervor of hope.  She knew know what Jack had told them last night.  He'd implanted in their minds that she and she alone would be able to keep them safe from the terror of Hell Water.  If she tried to back out- there would be such hell to pay on her own part by the crew.  They believed the gold was as good as theirs right at that moment and completely at her expense.  Ohh—Jack was good all right. How in the world could she refuse when put in such a corner?

Emma's face must have gone a shade paler, and her lack of a quick response was all Elizabeth needed.  She whirled on Jack in an outrage.

" You filthy scurvy belly-crawling seadog of a PIRATE!" She berated.  " Find some other way or I'll—"

But she trailed off as Emma put a quick, sturdy hand on her shoulder and drew her back.  Elizabeth glanced at her in amazement.

" No, he's right." She said, " I'm the only one who could do it." She took a deep breath, trying desperately to control her shaky voice.  " I'm not afraid."

" Very good then!" Jack's grin was contagious as the rest of the crew set about their tasks of preparing this part of Jack's grand scheme.  The grapple that had been brought up was secured after a few tries to the top of the cliff. Matellot and Quartetto scaled the cliff with more than a little difficulty. Rock climbing was not something pirates were typically accustomed to doing. However they found it not too different than scaling a ship during a raid, so they got their bearings quickly.  It wasn't before long that the meat and the blood (with the exception of one of the largest bottles, which Emma clutched tightly in trembling hands) was all hauled up and safe out of the reach of the 30-foot terror lurking below. At Jack's behest, they set one of the shore boats down on the small rocky outcrop that leaned against the cliff for the use of any survivors, should the worst occur and the ship sink. 

" Hands to the oars, get us off these rocks." Jack ordered. " Ready to unfurl the sails."

" Captain, are ye mad?!" Cried Mr. Gibbs. "That wind'll take us straight into that mess!"

" Aye, that's exactly what I want, Mr. Gibbs."

Mr. Gibbs caught the familiar glint in Jack's eye, and he knew that the Captain had something else up his sleeve.  He turned without another word and began to direct the crew.

They left the two pirates in readiness at the location of the shark trap.   Emma did not look at Elizabeth, but kept her eyes firmly affixed to Jack's face.  The sails unfurled and were tied off in a matter of moments, and the wind caught the ship and sailed it straight towards the awaiting whirlpool.  The crew directed panicky glances at Jack as they sailed ever closer and faster, opening the sails completely to the tail wind.  Jack kept the helm steady, acutely aware of any changes in wind direction.  He had just veered the ship about forty-five degrees starboard when it ran aground on the hidden sandbar.  The sudden impact sent everyone staggering.

At this new impact, the crew let out exclamations of dismay. But Jack had a huge smile on his face and he gave the helm up to Anamaria and swaggered down to meet them. The ship was stuck tight, kept aground by the sheer force of the wind as it drove into the sails and no more than 10 feet away from the deadly current that would have driven it under.

Mr. Gibbs caught Jack's plan in that instant and his grimace turned to a huge smile. " Aye, that's Jack for ya! Daft as they come and n'er a better scallywag to sail the Spanish Main!"

"Pieces of eight!" erupted Cottons parrot.

The dread that had moments earlier been apparent fell away from the faces of the crew.  Jack directed the preparations as they set to work feverishly preparing the ropes and pulleys that would be needed to haul the treasure up from the depths of Hell Water.

Emma stood rooted to the ground, watching the preparation half-heartedly. She was full of such mixed emotion, she didn't know whether to laugh or cry.  She knew their success depended solely upon her performance.  She was going to be the one to face the terror of Hell Water, lure it away from the treasure it seemed to be guarding and bring it all the way to the south entrance and whatever trap lay in store.

" Performance…" she muttered under her breath. " _Proper leverage… bah!  He had this planned the moment he found me out… that wretched sea-snake."_

Her frown deepened.  She desperately tried to convince herself that she was doing the right thing.  It was true; no one else could lure the shark but her and hope to survive. She was a strong swimmer, perhaps stronger than Jack could fathom… for he had never seen her race through the water at full speed.  Where the shark was powerful and fast, she was light and quick, and had better maneuverability than the ponderous predator. She'd faced them before and had managed to out swim them… but only for short bursts of speed and she had never in her life faced something so large.   She wasn't positive that she could handle it, but she fervently hoped that the creature's size would be it's biggest disadvantage, for it could make it slower, or perhaps easier to detect in the water.  

She stood pondering this with such intensity that she did not even notice Jack when he approached her.  His voice snapped her out of her thoughts.

" Are you planning on swimming in all those clothes, darling?" He asked her casually.  " Perhaps you should go get yerself prepared, eh?"

Emma nodded mutely, then mechanically turned on her heel and walked stiff legged to the hatch that leads to the hold and the crew quarters.  Elizabeth saw her and followed after.

" Emma." She called once she cleared the wooden steps.  Emma was still in the hallway and turned quickly to regard her.

" You don't have to do this, you know." Elizabeth said quickly.  " You can refuse! He can't make you do anything… Jack wouldn't do such a thing as to force you against your will."

" I know." She said softly. 

Elizabeth grimaced. " Damn that Jack Sparrow, he's just too manipulative for his own good, he knows exactly how to get what he wants… You shouldn't let him talk you into anything- he—"

" He did not talk me into anything." Emma replied, interrupting her with a raised voice.  Elizabeth bit her lip, wanting to finish her sentence, but Emma continued without pause.  " You and Will were quite right, he gave me the choice when it was in my best interest to accept… when it was too his advantage." She gave a genuine smile.  " But, I don't think he expects me to fail."

" How do you know?" Elizabeth asked.  " If he cared at all for you, he wouldn't wish to put you in such danger!"

" He's not Will…" Emma said, and Elizabeth felt herself blush scarlet.  " He's Captain Jack Sparrow.  I've told him enough times that I can take care of myself, maybe it's my own fault that I'm in this situation but he expects me to succeed. I can tell by the look in his face when he looks at me, that he doesn't have any fear.  He genuinely believes that I can do it, and so I'm going to help his plan as best as I can. I started this trip with my map, I put everyone into danger with my secrets and my selfish intentions… so it's only fair that I should carry the weight of the danger."

Elizabeth was at a loss for words, Emma was firm in her resolve and as she spoke, the nervous tension in her voice had died away and was replaced with grim determination.  She was certainly an unusual woman, quite unlike all the ladies that Elizabeth had ever known. 

Emma gave her a reassuring smile and then turned and went into the crew's quarters to change.  She lay one article of clothing in her tiny trunk after another and then slipped her dirty white slip over her head that she'd used on her last escapade through the waters of the Caribbean in pursuit of _The Black Pearl_ that had left her for dead. As she changed, she thought about Jack, and remembered something she'd overheard him say when he spoke to Quartetto earlier after the ship had run aground on the rockslide.

_" I'll feed ye to the bloodthirsty bugger as soon as tip me 'at if she gets so much as a scratch, mate… so keep a sharp eye, savvy?" _

_And with that, he thrust a makeshift harpoon at the man and said with a wink and a grin, " For emergencies."_

It made her feel a little better to think that Jack cared enough about her to wish her no harm.  At least he seemed genuinely concerned that she should make it through this ordeal alive.  She wondered if she had not tried so many times to demonstrate heroics that he would not have thought to make her do this.  It was true, she had done many amazing things since she set out on this voyage and he seemed to regard her as something of an anomaly. Why should a bloodthirsty 30-foot monster of a man-eating shark be any more difficult than what she'd already faced?

She shuddered at the idea.

~*~*~*~

Elizabeth and Will had volunteered to help Jack dive down under the water and help with the recovery of the treasure. Jack relayed to them the details of the downwards current and the small overhanging shelf of rock, which was the entrance to the cave.  Elizabeth had offered with the private intention to find Emma's knife amongst the treasure and keep it to return to the girl.  She did not trust Jack to give up a treasure as precious as that. Her greatest concern was that Jack would find it before her. Will could not dissuade her from her decision, and so volunteered as the third treasure seeker in order to make sure she was safe. He knew Elizabeth was not the strongest swimmer on the ship, and the thought of staying safely above while she put her life in danger was unthinkable to him.  

Elizabeth had just finished securing her lifeline when Jack walked out of his cabin with a sturdy wooden map case secured by a leather strap that wrapped over one shoulder and around his chest.

" What's the map case for?" Will asked him.

Jack grinned and threw his head back, gazing down the bridge of his nose at the young pirate.  " Light."

Will wasn't sure what he'd meant, but didn't press the issue. He'd find out soon enough.  Elizabeth stood beside him, looking exceedingly cross.  She had stopped haranguing Jack after hearing Emma's resolve, but it didn't keep her from glaring dagger eyes at the foppish pirate Captain.

Jack let her gaze roll off of him with little to no concern.  Instead, he turned to regard Emma, who stood near the plank at the port side of the ship.  The girl tried hard to look brave, but he could see her knees were shaking.  The wind billowed her hair out around her shoulders, sending the honey colored strands flying wildly about her face and picked at the loose fabric of her dress.  The red bottle that she held tightly to her body made a stunning contrast with her pale skin and the old and dirty white shift she wore.  It had been shortened to just above her knees to help her freedom of movement once she entered the water.  She'd had to swallow her womanly modesty for the sake of propriety, but had aimed a good kick at Jack nevertheless when her initial refusal to shorten the dress was denied by the suave pirate captain.  Without any warning, he skillfully ripped the bottom of the dress off in front of the entire crew while she wore it with the help of a flip knife. If it had been any other time, Emma probably would have died of embarrassment, but her mind was too preoccupied with the task she was about to perform, and her anger with Jack abated quickly. She grudgingly admitted, even if it had been in front of the entire crew, that she was privately flattered by his concern.

" Are ye ready, love?" Jack asked her after a moments pause.  The pirates all gathered around.  Looks of concern mingled with excitement as Emma glanced back at the anxious crew.

" I'm ready." She said in an unsteady voice.

            She couldn't read Jack's face, but for a moment she thought she saw a genuine look of concern and a smile played across his mouth. " Good luck to you, love." He said these final words and they filled her heart with strength.  

            " God be with ye…" Mr. Gibbs' intoned, and the pirates echoed similar best wishes. 

            "_At least they haven't removed their hats… or I may as well just go to my grave…"_ She thought sarcastically. And this bit of humor, even if it was just to herself, helped to lighten her mood considerably. She took a deep breath and turned to face the awaiting plank, thinking reassuringly of her treasure that she would be awarded at the end of the ordeal.  She would give Jack a performance he would never forget!  She screwed up her courage, and stepped boldly out to the edge of the plank, and without a second glance, dove down into the turbulent water below.

_(A/N- I'm making a web page for my fanfic.  While I was on vacation, I did a LOT of drawing and decided that I'll have to make a page to post them on.  I have a ton of (sexy) pictures of Jack Sparrow and I even rendered an image of Emma, and one of Elizabeth with her new look.  I'm more an artist than a writer, so I'm pretty proud of my work. I'd love it if you would check it out! You can find the link at my bio page. =D- It's under construction, but the pictures are there!)_


	13. The Terror of Hell Water

**_The Secret of Hell Water_**

_(A/N- Oh man… it's getting' late!  I wanted to finish this tonight but I had to stop to watch Jay Leno for an hour because I heard that Johnny Depp was going to be a guest… it was such a treat to see the guy just as himself.  Not only is he INCREDIBLY sexy, but he seems like such a NICE guy too! =D Intelligent and thoughtful… and just brilliant all around! And he has a great sense of humor! _

_Also, thanks SO SO SO much for all your reviews! LOL- I half expected everyone to stop reading my fanfic after a week of no updates, but you all are sooooo wonderful that you came back to it! I'm happy you're enjoying the story.  I'm going to keep with trying to update every two to three days.  That's the pattern I've sort of set for myself.  Anyways, Enjoy! This chapter is rather long and filled with lots of action!)_

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**_Chapter 13- The Terror of Hell Water_**

Emma's heart hammered in her chest as she felt the cool water close over her body.  She hung suspended for a moment, fighting her way out of the current that normally would take a person straight to the treasure cave.  With a swift and powerful thrust of her tail, she managed to steer safely out of the turbulence and righted herself a short distance away, quickly taking bearings all around her.  She could not see the ocean floor from her vantage point, and that thought did not ease her mind one bit.  She knew perfectly well that sharks preferred to attack from below and it could easily come upon her from the shelter of the dark deep.  But the real danger would be when it caught the scent of blood.  

Her hands were shaking so hard, she thought she might drop the bottle.  Looking around her one more time to make sure the coast was clear, she uncorked it and watched with mingled horror as the thick red liquid seeped out into the water.

            She began to idly swim southwards towards the opening in the cliffs and the shark trap, allowing the blood to trail behind her as it continually seeped out of the bottle.  She kept all her senses acutely alert; her eyes scanned the darkness below for the tiniest sign of movement.  

            Suddenly, she saw something ahead of her; a large dark shape was slowly coming into focus.  And for a moment, her heart leapt into her throat as she thought it might be her enemy.  However, the object did a flip in the water, quite unshark-like.  She realized then that it was a young sea lion.

            "_Where in the world did you come from_?" She thought to herself, watching the creature approaching her.  It stopped about 20 feet away and regarded her like a curious puppy.  She halted her approach and watched it, wondering if she should try to scare it away, the creature was in danger, after all.  But before her thoughts could take her any further, the creature turned and darted away with a sudden frantic burst of speed.

            Her eyes widened and she quickly glanced behind her.   Everything seemed to go silent in that moment, the hum of the waters currents, the gentle whirring of the whirlpool in the distance…and her eyes descended upon a horrifying site.  Out of the depths rose a monstrous dark shape, coming towards her at powerful speed.  The top of the shark was a deep, dark blue, perfect for camouflage in the depths, and its beady black eyes were rolled back in its head.   The jaws opened wide, displaying rows upon rows of jagged, razor sharp teeth.  

            She didn't hesitate a moment longer, she dropped the bottle of blood, which was practically empty and in a frantic burst of speed, shot as fast as she could force her fins to take her towards the southern end of the bay.  She didn't bother to look behind. She knew the shark was chasing her.  She could feel the ominous presence of this perfect killing machine, practically on her tail. 

            It wasn't long before she neared her destination, and the shark was approaching ever closer. The adrenaline that pumped through Emma's veins pushed her faster than she thought she'd ever swum in her life.  She sensed a sudden upward current as she neared the site of the shark trap, and angled herself into it. Using the current as an aid to speed, she rose up towards the surface. She could see the end of a rope dangling in the water and reached her hands up towards it. Her heart felt as though it might burst as she erupted out of the water with a powerful jump.  She didn't know how high she'd managed to fly, but her hands closed over the life saving rope and her momentum made it swing precariously back and forth.  With a frantic gasp of air, she looked below her and saw the monstrous jaws of the shark directly below as it followed her out of the water.  The shark was too large and incapable of jumping to any great height.  Instead, it floundered below for a moment, unable to reach its prey and snapped its jaws angrily.

            Emma whirled about, holding onto the rope and it spun her with no direction. Her body felt like it was on fire, every sense seemed one hundred times more acute. Her palms felt the roughness of the braided rope and her ears picked up the thrashing of the water and the shark below with amazing clarity.  Her heart hammered throughout her entire body.  It seemed as though she could even sense the blood as it ran through her veins.  From the tips of her fingers to the ends of her fins, she tingled all over with absolute terror.  Every muscle in her body strained, her teeth were tightly clenched and to her, the few seconds that had passed while she hung suspended and swinging precariously seemed like an eternity.  The rope slowly stilled itself from the effects of her desperate jump, and when she opened her eyes at last, the first thing she saw was the site of the _The Black Pearl_ across the bay.  The ship was still safely nestled against the sandbar with the wind billowing its dark sails.  Her sharp eyes made out the tiny figures of Jack, Will and Elizabeth, all with sturdy ropes attached to their wastes.  They dove off the port side plank and into the water one by one, on their way safely to the treasure trove awaiting them in the depths of the underwater cavern.  

In that fleeting moment, she thought desperately of Jack.  She longed for his calm, reassuring presence and easy going nature. He, with his mischievous metallic smile, quirky mannerisms, and penetrating, dark, charcoal-lined eyes would make all her fears go away.  She wanted terribly to be in his safe, strong arms and not here, hovering just above the impending doom that waited in the water below.   She wanted him so badly she thought she might scream. Then, a voice from above snapped her back to the present, and her sensibilities.

            " Now, drop it mate!"

            She heard Quartetto's voice shout from above her, and moments later, all the blood the pirates had collected which had been emptied into the casket was thrown into the water right next to the sharks frantic jaws, followed only seconds later by a small bundle of meat netted together and tied to a rope.  This set the predator in a feeding frenzy.  The shark's mouth closed over the food, swallowing it whole. The red water below her frothed up as the shark began to circle with its sharp triangular dorsal fin cutting through the waves cleanly.

            As soon as the first meat had been dropped, Quartetto had begun to hoist Emma up.  Her knuckles were white as she clutched the rope with all her strength, and even after the arms of the pirate took her firmly under her armpits and hoisted her over the edge of the overhanging cliff, she found it particularly difficult to let go. 

            " Ye did it, darling!" Cried Quartetto with a huge gold-toothed smile plastered on his face.  Emma shook violently, and after a moment, forced her eyes up to regard the pirate.  All she could hear was the adrenaline beating in her ears and the sound of her own heartbeat. 

            Slowly, where she was and what was happening began to sink in.  Her heart calmed as she realized she was safe.  The pirate's words of praise washed over her, and finally sunk in.  She'd beaten the shark! She'd done it!   

Matelot was slowly feeding the shark the bits and pieces of meat that Jack had the crew prepare.  She realized then that the pirate captain's intention had never been to capture the monster, for they did not have the equipment needed for such a venture, but to keep it well distracted while the crew in The Black Pearl hoisted up the treasure. As long as they knew where the shark was, and safely out of the way, then there would be no fear of it attacking the treasure seekers. 

Still shaking, but much calmer than before, Emma crawled over to the edge of the cliff and peered over to watch the shark. The beast was swimming about in the bloody water between bits of food, eating heartily and without the slightest indication of tiring from its feast.  The blood in the water kept it circling.  She glanced out over the water to _the Black Pearl_.  The crew was tirelessly hauling up small chests, and bags with seams bulging full of riches.  Every once in a while, something gold or silver caught a ray of sunlight and shone brilliantly all the way across the water.

Emma's heart filled with triumph, the plan had worked! Pride in her performance for Jack overwhelmed her; she could hardly wait to meet his eyes after the whole ordeal was done.  She thought of a hundred different things she might be able to say to him in her triumph, but one thing stuck in her mind that was for certain, and this thought sent broad smile across her face. She was whole and safe, and she _would_ see him again!

*~*~*~*~*

Jack, Will, and Elizabeth shot straight down into the water, riding the current easily and found themselves in less than 15 seconds about 20 feet under the water at the overhang of the cliff.  Jack led the way, skillfully angling his body upwards underneath the overhang and disappeared from view.  Will and Elizabeth followed closely behind. In addition to the map case strapped about Jack's body, the other two were laden with sturdy bags that they would use to gather loose treasure with and a few closely woven nets that would serve for the larger pieces of swag.  They each had extra ropes tied to their person in addition to the lifelines.  These ropes were attached to the pulleys on board the ship and would be used for hoisting the treasure.

            As they entered the overhang, darkness closed about them and they put their hands up, feeling their way along the rocky walls and rising steadily higher.  Before they knew it, their heads broke the surface of the water.

            Will and Elizabeth had both been near the end of their breath, and took large gasps of air.  Jack, being more accustomed to swimming in the ocean, could hold his breath for nearly two and a half minutes.  He'd had little trouble with the swim.

            " I can't see a thing." Will said exasperated.  " How are we supposed to get the treasure out of here if we're too busy floundering around in the dark?"

            " There's not the slightest hint of light." Elizabeth's voice betrayed her nervousness.  She did not like the dark and it was eerily quiet in the tiny cave, with the exception of the echo of the water lapping against the stone and a ringing drip drip drip from somewhere far off to the right.

            They heard Jack leave the water with a splash, and the scrape of his boots on rock, then a sudden, deafening sound of lots of metal clashing and clanging together.  And as soon as it had come, the sound drowned down and stopped. There was silence once again.

            " Jack?" Will asked hesitantly.

            The darkness answered them with a brief but colorful oath. There was a moment of rustling, and then Elizabeth jumped as a sudden spark lit up the cave.  It died as fast as it had come, but was followed by a few more sparks and when one finally caught and flared, it revealed Jack holding a long torch wrapped with an oil soaked rag. He was sitting half buried in a huge pile of gold.  From the looks of things, the sound they'd heard earlier was Jack tripping on the gold in the dark and falling into a cascade of coins. The map case he had been carrying over his shoulder earlier lay open and empty near his partially exposed feet.  

            " It was the only thing I had that was watertight." Jack said in answer to their unspoken questions.  " I knew it would be difficult to get light down here.  So I had to bring it."  Then he struggled to his feet, tottering precariously as the gold coin rolled and cascaded around him, then carefully picked his way to more solid ground.

            Now that they were able to see, Will and Elizabeth climbed out of the water onto a broad shelf of rock.  They looked about at the cave in wonder.  The far side was flat and rose up to about a height of twelve feet, and angled down sharply to around six feet where they both stood.  It was about twenty feet in both length and width.   Long stalagmites thrust down from the rock like jagged conical teeth.  However, the size and style of the cave was not the first thing that the three heroes noticed.  Instead, their eyes drunk in the site of overwhelming heaps and mounds of treasure that stretched from one wall to the other.  Everything you could imagine was littered about.  There were chests brimming with treasure, jewels, loose coin piled everywhere, intricately carved ivory and jade figures on low pedestals, scepters, crowns, silverware, diamonds, strings upon strings of pearls, some as large as sparrows' eggs, and many other trinkets.

            " This… is amazing!" Cried Elizabeth, kneeling down and running her hands through the coins.  " This would rival Barbossa's hoard!"

            " There's not as much as what Barbossa had," Jack said, picking his way daintily around the gold and beginning to sort through the treasure, inspecting each item with comical scrutiny before either placing it in a large sack or throwing it off over his shoulder into a vacant corner.  " But this treasure is of far greater value. Much of Captain 'Black Jack' Sparrow's treasure is a compilation of the secret hoards of many other pirates that pillaged the Spanish Main nearly a hundred years ago.  He was a mean-spirited, hard-hearted scallywag of a pirate, and a bonny treasure hunter."  

            " Why do you always call him by his full name? Wasn't he your father?" Asked Elizabeth.

            There was a long pause, and she thought Jack was going to refuse to answer her, but after a long moment, he looked up from his perusing and glanced at her with an unreadable, neutral expression.  " He was not my father…ye can't call that man anything but what he was… a pirate...savvy?"

Jack turned back to his work before Elizabeth could respond.  She kept her mouth shut and mulled over what he'd said. She came to the solemn conclusion that Jack had probably had a trying childhood.  She knew that he would not say anymore on the subject though, and so turned to the task of helping him gather the gold.  Following Jack's example they began to fill their bags with what they thought was the more expensive finery first.  They tied the heavy, full sacks securely to one of the pulley ropes, then gave the rope a very sharp tug as an indication to the crew aboard _The Black Pearl_ to start hauling it, and let the treasure drop down into the water.  It disappeared instantly into the darkness.  

Jack paused at a large chest and opened it; his eyes sparkled in the eerie light of the torch as he ran his fingers lightly over the coin that lay within.

" What's special with this?" asked Will, glancing down at it. He recognized the stamp of the coin.  It was the same as the one Jack had shown him when he spoke of Hell Water shortly after he and Elizabeth had decided to join their ship.

" Don Diego's ransom." Jack said, closing the chest.  With Will's help, they hauled it near to the edge of the rocky shelf and lashed two ropes securely about the rusty wooden chest, which was bound with iron and had two circular handles at either side.  Jack pursed his lips, looking at the rusty lock.  If the chest tipped, there was a chance the lid would open and the treasure fall out.  Then it would certainly be at the bottom of the ocean.  He took the ends of a cord that were wrapped around one of his assorted dreadlocks, untied it, and then retied it in a secure knot around the latch, reinforcing the top closed.

" Don who?" Will asked.

" Don Diego de Espinosa y Valdez." Jack said the name with a perfect Spanish accent.  " The Spanish pirate."

" I've read about him." Elizabeth said as she tied a full sack to a rope, then gave it a sharp tug and let it fall into the water.  " He pulled off the great raid of Barbados, one of the most notoriously bloody pillages in all of Jamaica's history."

Jack grinned at her.  His golden teeth glinted dully in the flickering yellow light as he and Will gave the ropes lashed to the chest two sharp tugs.  Then, they pushed the chest slide off the rock shelf and fall into the water, disappearing from site.

" Aye, Barbados." Jack said as they set back to work.  " The pirates surely would have burned the city to ash, had the governor not met the captains ransom.  He was a very rich man… tha' governor."  And his eyes grew strangely distant, as if he was recalling a fond memory.  " He delivered to Don Diego four chests, each containing 25 thousands pieces o' eight as ransom for sparing the city from the torch. Tha' one there…" and he gestured to the dark water where the chest had just disappeared.  " Is all that's remaining of his ransom.  The treasure was separated amongst Don Diego's fleet, one ship took one o' the chests, and his flagship the other three.  Unfortunately for him, the flagship ran amongst some breakers and broke to splinters in a storm on his way back to Hispaniola. The treasure was lost to Davey Jones' Locker.  The other ship survived, but was blown far off course, and was picked up by me namesake…" 

" Besides being a famous ransom, what's so special about those coins?" asked Will.

Jack paused, then grinned at him.  " They're cursed."

Will and Elizabeth both stopped their rifling, and stiffened, looking up at him in horror, cursed treasure was not something either were tempted to touch, given their previous history.

" Tell me you're lying!" Cried Elizabeth after an ominous silence.

" Obviously…" Jack said with a little swagger, and they both instantly relaxed.  " Do ye honestly think I haven't learned my lesson about cursed treasure, mates? No—this treasure is as normal as any treasure, except the coins are mighty rare… I don't know how tha' governor came to have it in his possession.  Their origin is Aztec, and every soul knows that there's no better coin to be found in this world than what Cortez brought back from the Aztecs.

" Or more dangerous." Will added ominously. " How do you know it hasn't been cursed?"

Jack shrugged. " Well, Black Jack stole it didn't he? And he lived for years afterwards as normal as any pirate could."

Will didn't respond, but his furrowed brows and stern expression were enough to relay that he still didn't like the idea of stealing Aztec gold.

" We're out of ropes." Interrupted Elizabeth, dropping the last bag she had into the dark water after giving the rope a sharp tug.

" The crew should have dropped more ropes down in the current, ye've got to swim down and recover them."

" I'll go." Will volunteered, and he slipped down into the water.  He was gone for about a minute, but came up with 5 more ropes tightly clutched in his hands.  Some had bags tied to them.

Jack and Elizabeth each grabbed a rope and a bag and they all commenced once again to sweep up the treasure, they had a long way to go.

Elizabeth kept a weary eye for Emma's treasure, and grabbed every knife and blade she could find. But there were none that she'd run across yet that were made of bone.  She found a few with ivory hilts, which she pocketed just in case.  Jack seemed to be of the same mind as her, but he did not bother to keep anything on his person, he threw whatever blades he could find in bags.  She fervently hoped that she found it before him.  Emma had more than proved herself, but Jack was slippery, and that dagger was more than priceless. She was sure he'd try to weasel his way into keeping it if he found it.

They'd all witnessed from the ship Emma's amazing race with the shark.  The dark shape in the water and the dorsal fin cutting through the waves had been hard to miss.  Emma must have jumped 14 feet into the air at the south entrance to escape it.  Elizabeth had been holding her breath from the moment the girl jumped in the water, and alternately watched the waves and Jack's face for the short time before the shark revealed itself.  Jack had not bothered to hide his worry; he and the other crewmembers stared avidly at the turbulently swirling waves.  His eyes were wide and his mouth was drawn in a straight frown, but his expression was otherwise unreadable.  When the shark revealed itself, it had been more monstrous than anything Elizabeth could have fathomed. She could only imagine that Jack had felt a similar strife, even if he was very good at hiding his emotions under a mask of coolness and good humor. 

Jack's frown turned to a large grin when he saw Emma jump from the water and grab onto the dangling rope, any tension he carried evaporated with this bright-eyed look of relief.  

Elizabeth could have guessed by this reaction that he might have regretted making the girl bait the shark, despite all his swaggering assurance and show of confidence in her ability to be practically invincible.  She reminded herself that he was very good at making people think what he wanted them to. And for him it was usually easy.   Most of the crew wouldn't have stopped to think for a moment that Jack could have any feelings beyond that of a pirate who was out to get what he wanted and by any means necessary.

" Hey, darling… toss me those pearls will ya?" Jack's voice brought Elizabeth back to the present.  She'd been rifling through a large pile of coin and noticed a large golden goblet filled to brimming with pearls half buried beside her right hand.  She drew the strands out of the cup and tossed them over to him. Jack caught them deftly with one hand, looked them over for a moment, and finding them to be satisfactory, dropped them into his bag with a grin.

" The first thing I'm going to do with my share o' the swag when we get outta here," he said with a huge metallic grin, " Is buy me a whole island and fill it to brimming with rum!"

~*~*~*~*~*~

The meat was growing scarce and the intense heat of the sun beat down on the backs of Emma and the two pirates as they watched the shark circling below.  She was getting the feeling that it would soon take its leave.

" What do we do when we run out of meat?" She asked.  

The pirates looked at her with identical blank expressions.  They'd been up there for nearly an hour.  " We're s'posed ta wait until the Captain gives the signal ta stop feeding it and wait for it ta leave... Then, we'll take the shore boat back to The Pearl, keeping in mind the tail wind."

" How can he give the signal if he's under the water?" She asked exasperated.

" Well, that's the thing… he 'as to be on the ship." Said Quartetto, rubbing his scruffy beard back and forth in a contemplative manner.

Emma glanced at _The Black Pearl_. By the looks of it, the crew was still drawing up treasure.  She had no idea when Jack would surface.

" Well, we have to do something! That shark is going to leave soon- and I don't know where it's going to go."  She glanced down at it again, and suddenly stiffened.

 Her eyes had caught a familiar site of something white sticking out just above it's left pectoral fin.  Her heart raced with a sudden dread, and she grabbed a piece of meat, tied it to one of the ropes and lowered it down, holding it slightly above the water.  The shark had to raise its head out of the water to get it, and when it did, she got another clear view of the strange object. 

" No way…" She thought, her hands let go involuntarily and the rope she'd been holding slid over the edge and fell into the water.  " No… no way!"

She was sure, the foreign object, partially imbedded in the thick hide of the monstrous predator was none other than the Blade of Neptune.  The treasure she'd come to recover from Hell Water.

" What is it, Miss Emma?" Asked Matellot. 

She didn't answer, but sat there frozen for a long moment with her mind racing.  She had to get it.  Jack would not find it amongst the treasure. If she didn't, she would have come all that way for nothing.  Somehow, the shark had gotten itself attacked with the Blade of Neptune.  Her only thought was that it had happened the night the shark fed on the pirates of the Donalda.  It could have been possible that Jack's father had had the knife on his person, and used it on the shark before he'd been killed.  That was the only possible explanation.  

The other thought that dawned on her was that this shark, while the knife penetrated its flesh… was immortal.  It couldn't be killed.  Not only would she have to get the knife out of it, she'd have to cut it again to reverse the effect.

_" I can't just jump in while it's so freely moving around… it'll take me for food in an instant… but if I could just restrict its movement… or do something to stun it…"_

Her eyes narrowed and she stood up in one fluid motion, looking about for something she might be able to use.  The two pirates watched her with identical looks of confusion. Her eyes fell on the grapple lying on the ground, connected to the chain that the pirates had used to haul themselves and the supplies from the ship up onto the cliff.  An idea instantly formed in her head and she grabbed hold of the end of the long chain.  Then deftly wrapped it around the large finger shaped rock formation that sat solidly on top of the cliff.  It was a good 7 feet tall, and so wide that three people would need to hold hands to encircle it.  She secured the chain around the rock and secured it with a hook found at the end.  Then, she grabbed the grapple and speared the last of the meat on it.

" Hey! What are ye doing?" cried Quartetto. " That's the last o' the meat!"

Emma didn't listen to him; she marched over to the overhanging cliff and threw the hook into the water.

The meat sunk quickly, weighed down by the grapple and the shark fell upon it.  Suddenly, the chain went taught.  The grapple had lodged itself somewhere in its gaping jaw and the water around it suddenly erupted upwards with a great thrashing of fins.  The shark's huge sleek body writhed and fought and the water flew up in fountains as it struggled against this confusing foe.

" Wah! What did ye do that for?" Matellot watched in horror.  " Ye're makin' it angry! Tha' grapple won't hold for long, then it'll go away fer sure!"

" I just need a little time." Emma said coolly.  She ran a short ways along the edge of the cliff and out of the way of the thrashing monster.  Then found a good spot to dive and took a deep breath, pushing down the nervousness that rose in her stomach.  

" Just do it…" She thought to herself stubbornly.  " It's what you came for, isn't it? Just do it!"  

Her heart screamed at her to stop this foolishness, but she wouldn't listen to its pleas and dove into the water, gathering up her courage once more.

 The water was still stained faintly red with blood, and bits of meat and fat floated about.  She grimaced with disgust at the dirtiness of the shark, but swam steadily closer to the thrashing disturbance in the water. 

The shark was too busy fighting the chain to notice her creeping up upon it.  She was about ten feet away, then stopped her advance and hung back, wondering how to go about getting the knife while it thrashed about so much.

" Maybe it will get tired." She thought. " Then I could get it."

 But she didn't have time to think any further. Many things all happened at once and very suddenly.  The rock that she'd secured the chain to had had enough of the strain that the shark was putting on it.  And with a great crack that echoed throughout the canyons and the great bay, its base crumbled away and the rock formation fell forward, into the water, unfortunately taking a great deal of the cliff face with it.

Emma was not expecting anything of this sort, and the sudden eruption of the water as the giant rock hit and sunk sent her reeling backwards with the push of the current, followed a heartbeat later by tons of debris.  Putting her hands over her head, she desperately swam away from the cliff, trying to avoid getting battered.  Several rocks managed to pelt her, and one hit her squarely on top of the head, making her see stars.  She sunk for a moment stunned, then shook her head and righted herself, swimming upwards, trying desperately to ignore a sudden pulsing headache.

She hit the surface of the water and turned to look back towards the cliff.  The two pirates had been dumped in the water by the sudden rockslide, but they seemed to be generally unharmed.  They were swimming as fast as their legs could take them over to the small shore boat, which Jack had safely beached not to far away on the pile of rocks their ship had run aground on earlier.

Then, Emma remembered the shark.  With a feeling of dread, she dove down again and searched around, but there was no sign of it anywhere in the murky water. She remembered vaguely when the giant rock had fallen into the water and surprised her.  The shark had still been attached to the chain… and if the chain was attached to the rock…

" Just my luck…" She thought with dread, and gazed down at the endless darkness of the depths.  Undoubtedly the monster was being driven downwards to the depths at the mercy of the chain that was attached to it.  Unless it could wriggle itself free, it would be at the bottom of the bay.  She did not know how deep it was and she had no desire to find out.  But it seemed in this case, she would have no choice.  All she could do was hope that it was still attached to the chain.

Her heartbeat quickened once again. She tried to comfort herself with the thought that she'd managed to escape it's jaws once before, so she could do it again.  For the third time in that day, she gathered up all the courage she could muster and dove down towards the awaiting darkness in pursuit of her coveted treasure.

(A/N- *disclaimer*- I don't own the name Don Diego.  He's a fictional character from a book I recently finished called 'Captain Blood,' by Rafael Sabatini.  Lately I've been reading any pirate literature I can get my hands on to feed my obsession with PotC.  Anyways- Don Diego's Ransom and his pillaging of Barbados all comes from one chapter in that book- just thought I should give proper credit. =) I added in the part about the Aztec gold though, cause I thought it was fun.)


	14. Escape

**_The Secret of Hell Water_**

_(A/N- Ahhhh!!  Just WRITING this chapter sent my heart racing.  Oh man- I don't think I've ever typed so fast in my life (and I'm pretty fast!) But it took a long time to revise… this was NOT an easy one to write. Sorry if it's a little late!_

_ …Okay… I don't know why I did it… but those of you who like Jack/Will slash will like this chapter… o.O It's not REALLY slash… I mean- not in the usual sense, and only a little bit. If you could even call it that… _

_… Oi vey… I don't know what I'm saying.  Anyways, on with the next chapter! _

**_(Revision- 8-24-03- I originally uploaded this chapter without running spellcheck! (Keels over with embarrassment) Ohhhh—man, I'm SO sorry- sometimes I just get too eager to put the chappie online, ya know? Anyways- stupid errors are fixed now.)_**

**_Chapter 14- Escape_**

  The precious light grew steadily less as she made her descent.  Emma's adrenaline was back up and her heart raced.  The terror that was threatening to overwhelm her at what she was doing was fighting back and forth with the insatiable desire for the treasure she coveted. At this moment, desire for The Blade of Neptune was winning.  She kept a sharp eye for any unexpected movement in her limited field of view.  Her eyes, the same color as the ocean's depths began to slowly adjust and take into account the lack of light.  It wasn't too much longer before she approached the bottom of the bay; eerie shapes of the rotting hulls of ships and striped masts slowly came into focus.

She wondered which ship was the Donalda.  By the looks of things, there were other brave sailors who'd managed to get as far as the whirlpool of Hell Water.  It was surprising, but not impossible.  Unfortunately for them, it looked as though that was where they're journey had ended.

All her senses were attune to every sound and movement in the eerie stillness.  There were a few fish, but the ocean floor was sandy and more or less vacant from any form of vegetation.  She swam low, slinking in between the sunken ships, scanning the darkness as one shape after another came into view.  

" It would have fallen around here…" She thought.  And then her eyes caught the sight of the giant boulder as it suddenly came into view.  It lay askew amidst two halves of a large galleon. 

            Her heart leapt in her throat and her courage almost abandoned her.  She dashed behind some sunken debris and waited in dread.  After a moment, she managed to calm her frazzled nerves, and chanced a glance at the rock. 

            The shark was not there, along with the chain it had been attached too.  Her heart sunk and a great foreboding washed over her, depleting her courage further.

            _" It must have gotten the chain free… that grapple must be well lodged in its mouth." _She thought with dismay.  Emma did not like the idea of trying to find the monster in this murky water.  The shark would have the advantage of being able to sense her movements before she would even know it was there. With these ponderings, Emma left her hiding place and began to cautiously backtrack her way through the shipwreck graveyard.  Thinking about any other possible way she might be able to bait it.

_" Maybe I could find some more sea lions… it likes to eat those… I could lure it with them?" _

Then her ears picked up a strange metallic jingle that echoed faintly in the water.  She froze in terror and knew it as the sound of the chain trailing from the shark's mouth. All thoughts of baiting the shark flew from her mind in that instant. The kind of fear that she'd experienced during the first chase overwhelmed her.  What was she thinking? She had no possible hope of getting her knife! That thing was free and more than capable of eating her in an instant.  It was free…

The words ran through her mind over and over again, draining her courage.  She did not have the resources she needed, and it would be folly to attempt what she had been considering. 

The jingle echoed again faintly in her ears, proof of the shark's presence in the area.  It was a frightfully unnatural sound to hear in the quiet depths, and made her skin prickle with terror.    She did not know if it was stalking her, but she was not about to stay to find out.  She shot away like a bullet, angling herself sharply upwards.

_" I need a plan!" _She thought desperately, to frightened to bother looking back.  " _I need… Jack! Jack will have a plan! He always does!! Yes, we'll all go back to the Black Pearl, and make a plan!"_

Not knowing what else to do in such a situation, she clung onto this hope in Jack Sparrow's undeniable brilliance in such matters. It gave her a little reassurance to replace the terror.  But that did not slow her progress, speeding along as fast as her fins would take her, she could see the dark rounded shape of the Black Pearl's hull in the distance, and the strong downward current that would take her to the treasure, and Captain Jack Sparrow.

~*~*~*~*

" Jack, we're never going to get all this treasure on that ship!" cried Elizabeth.  " I could almost swear that the coins are multiplying!"

" It's Captain, love." Jack corrected her patiently as he dropped a large chest tied securely with ropes into the water with Will's help.  He turned to her and grinned. The gold in his teeth sparkled in the flickering torchlight. " That would be a nice treasure to have wouldn't it? One that multiplies?"

" You're missing the point." Elizabeth said acidly.

" We've gotten a fair amount." Will said, trying to curb Elizabeth's frustration.  " I'd say we've gotten more than half, don't you think so Jack?"

" Captain! Captain!" Jack corrected him not so patiently this time around. Then turned and mused over the remaining treasure.  " We've gotten all the priciest swag on the ship already, so I'd say we've got the bulk of the value of the treasure---"

He trailed off as Elizabeth set a slide of coin loose with a large sweep of her hand.  The gold cascaded down into a bag the she'd propped open near the base of the pile. With a grin, she snatched it up and secured it closed.  She was about to deposit it for collection onto the ship, when an unusual glimmer caught her eye at the top of the treasure pile. She looked up to regard a brilliant red gem, about the side of a child's fist nestled among the loose coin.

Jack had caught site of this as well.  He strode over to it and clasped his hand over the jewel, then pulled it free from the coin that had been burying it moments before.  Apparently, the gem was not by itself, but part of some larger artifact.  As he pulled it free from the loose coin, it revealed itself to be a long, six-foot staff of solid gold, intricately carved in relief all up and down its narrow shaft.

" That's beautiful!" Breathed Elizabeth in wonder.

Jack's face, which had been filled with awe just moments before, broke into a genuine grin, and he glanced back at them with sparkling eyes.

" Do you know who's it was?" Asked Will

" Not a clue, mate." Jack said, gesturing vaguely aside with his free hand.  " But I do know this… it'll fetch a fair price!"

Suddenly, the water behind them erupted in a great shower of droplets. The splash had a resounding echo that bounced back and forth amongst the bare walls of the cave.  Jack, Will and Elizabeth all jumped in surprise and spun around to see what the sudden commotion was.  Their gaze all fell on the pale, trembling figure of Emma.  Her eyes were so wide; they could see the whites all around her unnaturally dark pupils. She flung out both arms onto the stone shelf for support, breathing in shallow, terrified gasps. Her soaking hair plastered itself unflatteringly to the sides of her pale, frightened face and water ran down her nose and over the contours of her forehead in tiny rivulets.  

" Emma!" Cried Elizabeth and Will together. They both dashed over to her, sinking to their knees in front of the terror-struck mermaid.

Jack's eyes had widened as his only indication to his concern.  He stepped over to kneel beside Will and Elizabeth, who were coaxingly trying to get Emma to talk to them.  She seemed to be too frightened to get any words to come out.

" Shall ye tell us what's happened, love…?" Jack's low, silky voice made Emma's head turn.  She looked up into the face of the pirate, and saw concern etched on his features.  He was so gorgeous in that instant with his genuine concern, that she managed a calming breath and closed her eyes.  She collected her wits, and though her heart was still hammering in her chest, and her adrenaline rushed through her veins, she managed to speak with relative calmness.

" It's out there… somewhere." She said hesitantly.  " We need to go back to the ship… we need to come up with a plan!"

" A plan?" Jack's brows furrowed, Will and Elizabeth watched their exchange silently. " Are ye telling us, that the shark is freely roaming again?"

" Yes! We have to capture that thing! We have to do something!"

" Whoa there, darling!" Jack said exasperated, throwing his head back and swaying on his heels.  " I don't fancy trying to capture the blighter.  We're pirates, not big-game seadogs… we don't have the means to take on such a venture…savvy?"

" Jack, if what she says is true, we need to get back to the ship." Said Will fervently. " That shark will be back in the area soon. We need to get out now!"

" But—" Emma tried to interrupt.  " You can't kill it… just to capture—"

" --Save yer breath for swimming, darling." Jack said as the three grabbed their last bags of loot and tied them to the remaining ropes.  

" No! You don't understand—it's got—"

 " --I can tie my own knots!" Elizabeth argued with Will, drowning out Emma's nervous pleading.  The mermaid seemed to be temporarily forgotten as the three treasure hunters busied themselves with the preparations for a swift return to the ship. Will's face darkened as he fussed by checking and rechecking to see Elizabeth's rope was secure. 

 " A bowline will be more secure!" and he reinforced her rope by re-knotting the dangling end.

Elizabeth allowed him to fuss over her with a peevish expression, and then looked up to regard Jack.  She started with a sudden look of surprise. " You're not taking that are you Jack?" 

The Pirate Captain stood beside the edge of the water in relaxed posture, ready and waiting for them patiently. One hand was lightly resting on the hilt of his sword, and the other held the ruby topped staff, resting it against his shoulder.  He had been regarding them with an amused expression, but at Elizabeth's question, he glanced at the golden object with a dubious look, as if he'd forgotten he'd been carrying it.  

" It'll slow your progress."  She added matter-of-factly.

Jack's dubious expression turned incredulous.  He was adamant about keeping this rare prize. " This here, is five years supply of rum alone!" he objected, and clutched it tightly to his chest.  " I can take it, all by me onesie!"

Emma watched their preparation with growing anticipation. She wanted to tell Jack about her treasure that was at this moment, stuck in the side of the shark.

" Jack! It's really important, I have to tell you!" Her insistent pleading finally made heads turn.

" Aye? Ye can tell me when we've reached the ship. But first, would ye swim below and have a peek to see if the coast is clear, love?" 

Emma balked at his complete evasion of her insistence, and then it occurred to her that this new information might seem a trifle overwhelming in the present, hurried circumstances. Jack certainly didn't have time to worry about whether or not The Blade of Neptune was partially imbedded in the hide of the great shark.  She grudgingly agreed in her mind that it would be more prudent to talk about it once they were safely aboard _The Black Pearl_.   She gave Jack a short nod in response to his request and dove down into the water to peer from underneath the overhanging shelf.  She took a cautious look around, and with the exception of a school of codfish that swam idly by, there appeared to be no other shadows of movement that would denote the lurking predator.  

She swam back up to them and gave her report.

With this assurance that the coast was clear, Jack's eyes alighted with anticipation.  He turned to Elizabeth and gave a mock bow. " Lady's first, m'dear."

Elizabeth arched an eyebrow at him but kept her mouth shut.  With imperial grace, she sauntered to the edge, gave her lifeline two sharp tugs (to signal her ascent to the crew above), took a tremendous breath of air, and dove into the water.

Emma turned and dove down soon after with a large splash, following closely behind Elizabeth. 

Will followed closely behind, and Jack made up the rear.

The group all swam sharply downwards until they cleared the overhang.  The ropes went instantly taught and began to pull them steadily towards the ship.  Elizabeth and Will kicked hard, trying to aid their ascent and simultaneously fighting against the opposing current.

Emma had to work hard to swim against the current, she had no ropes to aid her, but it was doable with her powerful tail.  Instead of concentrating on holding her breath, as the others had to do, she kept a sharp eye out for any sign of the giant predator.  So far the coast was still clear.  It did not help her nervousness though.  And the tension continued to mount as they slowly rose higher and higher towards the sparkling light that reflected off the surface of the water.

 Jack was falling further and further behind.  The added weight of his coveted ruby topped treasure was making his ascent twice as difficult for the crew to haul.  Emma became sorely tempted to swim down there and wrestle it out of his hands.

Then a swiftly moving shadow caught the corner of her eye from below. She let out a silent scream of terror as the shark finally revealed itself out from the depths.  It was swimming straight for Jack!

All fear escaped her in that instant and she plunged down towards him, filled with nothing more than the need to save him.  Will glanced back to see what was the matter, and a similar thought of rescue took hold of his mind.  He began to resist the pull of the rope in a desperate attempt to go down and help his friend. Elizabeth was furthest ahead of everyone, and had almost reached the surface when she saw the horrifying scene below.  The minute her head hit the surface of the water, she took a great breath and screamed at the pirates on board the ship to pull Jack out of the water, and fast!

But, that would not help Jack Sparrow.  Being pulled against the current was no way to try and outdistance a hungry predator.  Jack had seen the shark coming for him a split second before Emma had.  Its monstrous jaws were agape as it charged in for the kill, and he acted upon reflex and jammed the gold staff he'd found amongst the treasure into the monsters mouth before it could chomp down on him.

Sandwiched between the pull of the rope and the gaping jaws of the shark, Jack found himself in a terrifying situation. Both the current, and the momentum of the shark, were working against him in attempting to draw him into the gaping jaws.  All he could do was keep a firm hold on the staff with both arms flexed taught.  With this only means of survival, he desperately tried to keep himself from getting sucked in.

Every muscle in his upper body was rigidly flexed, and screamed with the strain as he fought against the pull.  Luckily, he was only in this precarious position for a moment. The shark, realizing that it could not close its jaws, suddenly bucked sharply backwards and the movement yanked the staff out of his hands. This deprived him of the resistance he'd needed against the up-thrust of the shark's momentum.  The current quickly took him back into its downward grip.  

The sudden jerk of the rope about his waist almost made him release his breath as it went unexpectedly taught. Jack found himself being tossed wildly as the great shark, which was greatly maddened by the obstruction in its jaws swam over him. It ran straight into his rope and the thick twist of cord that was his only connection to the ship got caught on a sharp tooth. 

 The timing was unlucky, gold is a soft metal and the staff was not liable to last long when pitted against the powerful jaws that were doing their best to close.  The shark managed to bend the staff enough to dislodge it.  As its mouth clamped shut, the rope was sheared straight through.

Jack, no longer having anything to tie him to the ship, floundered in the water for a moment, not sure exactly what happened, but fully conscious of his peril.  With a huge grimace, he flung out his hands, desperate for anything that he might be able to use to keep himself from being swept away.  They closed over the chain that trailed from the shark's mouth.  His heart raced, he hadn't been so scared for his life in a long time.  As a pirate, death was not something he feared greatly, however death by shark was not the way he would have chosen to go.  

Despite these dire circumstances, a tiny voice in his head that was keeping its cool told him that it was better to be trailing _behind_ the shark than in the way of its jaws.  And so he kept a tight hold on the chain and allowed himself to be dragged through the water, clumsily bumping against the monsters side and trying hard to keep his grip through the sharp turns and twists that rocked him to and fro.  His chest was seriously beginning to hurt.  He didn't know how much longer he would be able to keep his breath.

At this moment, Emma arrived on the scene.  Her fear for Jack outweighed her fear of the shark, and she swam straight for him as the monster tried to get its bearings. Carelessly, in too much of a hurry to get to Jack, she swam in the shark's line of site and it turned its attack on her.  Jack found himself jerked unceremoniously through the water as it snapped a bite at her.  Emma's swift reflexes, coupled with the momentum that the current gave her, was the only thing that managed to save her from getting bitten.

She thought her heart might burst with fear.  She could imagine that Jack must be in desperate need for air by now. And he was at the complete mercy of where the shark would take him.

" _If it wants to chase me, maybe I can use it to get Jack to the surface…" _She acted on this idea without thinking it through, and angled herself sharply upwards.

But this brought her against the current, and even Emma was not strong enough to out swim a powerful burst of speed from the skillful predator when fighting the pull of the water. 

Jack's face was set in a perpetual, ugly grimace as he found himself fighting to hold on against both the movement of the shark and the pull of the current. He thought his hands must be bloody and bruised with the white knuckled grip he exerted on that chain, and mused that the best way to immediately save himself would most likely be to let go and just return to the treasure cave. Then, he caught site of Emma who was vainly trying to out swim the shark against the pull of the current. She'd returned to save him, and had ended up on the dinner plate instead. But she'd made a fatal mistake by thinking that she could race the monster against the current. It would catch her for sure.

He didn't know what he could do.  A panicked alarm for oxygen was going off in his brain, telling him that he'd reached beyond his limit.  His lungs felt like they might burst, spots began to dance in front of his face.  But he knew one thing for certain, he wasn't going to let her be eaten, it had been hard enough to watch her dive into that water back on board _The Black Pearl_ when he knew what danger she would face. He'd done it out of necessity, but he'd also had a plan, and had been quite confident of her abilities. 

To echo the increasing weakness of his body by its lack of air, one of his hands lost its hold and flailed out.  He almost let go with the other as a consequence, but with terrific strain held fast.  He grazed the smooth skin on the side of the shark as his body wheeled out and bumped against its side. His hand flailed out, and the fingers unexpectedly found and closed over a handle of some sort.

His mind was hazy, and air bubbles began to leak through his mouth and nose as his body began to give into the brains lack of oxygen.  Somehow, he found the strength to draw this strange object out of the shark's body.  In his foggy brain, he registered that it was a knife.

_" I don't remember doing that…"_ that calm little voice in his head said dubiously, wondering where in the world the shark had gotten a knife stuck in it?

But that was all the time he had for musing, the shark's jaws were opening up towards Emma.  It would be mere seconds before it would be able to make its kill.

He screwed up every last ounce of strength left, for he was at the very breaking point of his body's resistance to its lack of air, and through complete and total desperation, (and thank goodness for that amazing phenomenon called adrenaline) his eyes alighted with a chaotic fervor. He seemed suspended in a dream at that moment, and the underwater world went by in slow motion.  With a terrific grimace, he exerted his aching muscles to pull himself higher up on the chain until he was level with the monstrous head, and with his free hand holding the knife, plunged it straight into the sharks rolling black eye.

This sudden attack by Captain Jack Sparrow happened a heartbeat before it closed its jaws on Emma.  It had faltered in that brief instant with the pain and the surprise.  The largest portion of Emma's lower body (which had been the intended target) was spared, but its razor teeth had caught one whole side of her long tailfins, tearing it straight off.  

Not willing to stick around and become subject to another attack, the shark jerked around hard and shot off away into the distance.  Jack was unable to resist this last burst of movement and lost his precarious hold on the chain, finally giving into his delirium.  A stream of bubbles escaped through his mouth as he elapsed into unconsciousness.

Pain shot through Emma's entire body, and for that instant, she did not know what had just happened, and wondered if she'd lost her entire tail.  No longer able to fight the current, she floundered, unable to swim straight or keep any semblance of balance. .

.  She reached out her hands and barely grasped onto Jack's wrist as the current started to retake them, they were spent from their resistance. Tossing and turning downwards at the complete mercy of Hell Water, she drew herself close to Jack, terrified that he was dead and drowned.  

Will had watched the entire episode while helplessly attached to the rope that was drawing him steadily upwards.  It wasn't long before his head broke the surface.  Elizabeth was already peering over the railing of the ship, calling frantically too him to get on board quickly.  But he was not of a mind to run away, and finally able to get his bearings, the headstrong young man slipped a knife from a sheath at his waist, took a deep breath, then cut his own rope and plunged back into the water to see what he could do to help.

Emma and Jack had by now reached the end of the current and were at the overhang, but she was floundering about in the water vainly trying to get herself to move where she wanted too.  Her balance was completely offset by Jack, who was weighing her down, as well as the unfortunate reality that she was missing half of her tail.  Pain shot through her body with each attempt at movement, her body had begun its slow regeneration process, and she felt the compelling need to sleep.  Her eyelids were terribly heavy. 

In that moment and completely unexpected, she felt a strong arm wrap about her waist, she looked up in amazement to see Will!  He had Jack in his other arm.  With a healthy kick, he brought them both safely up into the cave.

~*~*~*~*

" We have to do something! Will, Emma and Jack are all down there!" Cried Elizabeth. 

The crew looked nervous and panic stricken, they glanced at each other with worried looks.

" What can we do?" Asked Gibbs hesitantly. " None o' us are willing to dive down there, if that's what yer meaning is."

Elizabeth grimaced and looked about the deck frantically.  The treasure had been carried below as it had been hauled up.  There was no evidence on the deck that the ship had any riches at all with the exception that she sat lower in the water than before.

" Well, I am going back down there!" she declared, glaring at anyone willing to challenge her.  " Jack's rope came up empty…they need ropes!"

" If they're not in that cave by now, they'd be dead." Said Quartetto nervously.  He and Matellot had taken the shore boat back over to the Black Pearl.  They'd been relieved to hear from Elizabeth that Emma had not been affected by the rockslide from earlier, but their fear was renewed at hearing that she, their captain, and Will were all under shark attack.

" If they got attacked by that shark, they ARE dead!" cried another pirate, and to this declaration, the rest solemnly agreed.

Gibbs looked up at the distant horizon.  "And… I don't like the look of those clouds." He muttered under his breath.  " Another storm is brewing."

Elizabeth followed his glance, and blanched at the dark storm clouds heading their way.  She grimaced angrily and swore, which was quite uncommon for her. " Bloody awful timing!"

" We need to go before that storm hits." Said Crimp gruffly.

"The ship won't survive a beating in this place… pirates code!" said another.

" Into port in a storm!" cried Cotton's parrot.

" No! You can't leave yet! We still have some time." Elizabeth whirled about with a pleading look on her face. Then gestured to some of the loose, wet coils of rope that were still attached to the pulleys. " Just put three of those down with me, if they're in the cave, then we can use them to get out."

"And if they're not down there?" Said Anamaria with a grim expression.

Elizabeth paled, then squared her jaw and stood a little straighter.  " Then… I suppose… you must follow the code…"

            " Aye, she do be right… Jack's gotten himself out o' pretty bad trouble 'afore…" Gibbs said as he scratched his thinning head of hair, then squinted down at the choppy waves and set his jaw in a steady frown.  " We'll wait ten minutes, no more! Lower the ropes!

            ~*~*~*~*~*

The torch had almost burned its way out when Will burst up through the water's surface, taking a huge breath of air. Without hesitation, he scrambled out of the water and pulled Jack's limp body up onto the shelf. Emma, still fighting for consciousness, weakly put her arms up and pulled herself with all her strength so that the top half of her body was resting on the narrow shelf of rock.  The minute her cheek touched the cold stone, her body went limp as she fell into a deep unconsciousness.

Will glanced up at her.  His jaw was grimly set with determination.  He knew she was in no danger for her life, she couldn't die, wasn't that right? He looked down again to regard Jack, his heart beat wildly and his mind raced with a million nervous doubts about whether or not he was still alive.  Will pressed two fingers firmly to the side of Jack's throat, and almost laughed with relief as he sensed a very faint pulse.

Will floundered for a moment. How did you make someone breathe again who wasn't dead?  He tried to recall what he'd seen the doctor do at the Smithy once a few years ago, when Mr. Brown had asphyxiated himself by falling asleep too close to heavily smoking coals. The doctor had breathed into him.

Will's eyebrows knit together in concentration as he opened Jack's mouth as wide as he could and leaned in towards him. He clamped his lips solidly over the swarthy pirate's and he blew as hard as he could.

He heard the air whistling out of Jack's nose and brought his free hand up to clamp it shut.  He blew again.

He repeated this a few times, beginning to loose hope that he would ever find success.  Will didn't know anything about medicine, after all... and he wondered if what he was doing was even working in the slightest.   Then, joyfully, the body underneath him convulsed.  Will fell back on his heels in a flash as Jack shot up, a fountain of water spurted out of his mouth.  He coughed for a short while, gasping for air and swayed dangerously where he sat.  As soon as this fit of coughing abated, Jack looked about him in consternation.

" Am I dead?" He asked blindly after a few moments.

" No." Replied Will with obvious relief.

Jack seemed to collect his wits at this reply, then pursed his lips and turned to regard his savior.  Will had a wide grin spread across his face.  Jack brought his hand up and brushed his bottom lip with the tips of his fingers, the strangest, most dubious look of consternation was etched on his face as he realized what Will had done.

" Never… do that again…" Jack said in a comically demanding tone. Then he coughed a few more times and cleared his throat audibly.  " Unless… of course…" His face fell into a contemplative frown as he tried to find the correct words.  "… Similar circumstances…would merit…you know…" 

" Of course." Will answered him hastily.

There was a very awkward silence.  Then Jack noticed Emma lying partially on the shelf of rock behind Will.   His dark eyes shot open in realization.  Memory of the shark attack came back to him in a flash.  He remembered how he'd nearly escaped being eaten whole, and Emma's attempt at rescue, and the shark's pursuit of her with him in tow. 

Jack looked down to see he was clutching the hilt of a small dagger in his right hand.  The blade was about as long as his hand span, and the hilt was smooth and cool and felt comfortable against his calloused palms.  He wondered idly where in the world he had gotten it.   It wasn't one of his. He couldn't see it well in the dark, but shrugged and slid it down his boot for safekeeping.

He couldn't recall Will saving him, or how he'd come to be back in the treasure cave, or anything for that matter of recent events… the last thing he remembered was being dragged through the water, thinking that Emma was going to get eaten, and that he would drown if he didn't get some air very, very soon.

Will hung back as Jack edged his way a short distance on shaky arms over to the unconscious mermaid. The lower half of her body was still immersed in the water. He glanced back at Will with one eyebrow sharply raised in a questioning look.

" I think the shark bit her." Will said with concern.  

Jack's winced slightly at the thought.  His mouth fell into a contemplative frown and he turned again to regard her with a strange sort of awe.  Bringing one hand up, he traced a finger down the contours of her finely shaped jaw. "She'll be all righ'…" He said partially to Will, partially to himself, and a tiny smile broke across his face.

Silence descended in the cave as Jack stared down at the sleeping girl. Will was just about to ask him what he thought they should do now, when Elizabeth's head of tinkling, glittering beads and braids burst up through the surface of the water, splashing them all with a great wave of nervous energy.

" You ARE here!" She cried, holding up three ropes.  "Hurry, we need to get out of here, or the ship is going to leave!"

******

_(A/N- CPR was invented right in 1734 (approx.).  I stand corrected that according to the movies timeline (which would be 17th century- thank you Lissad)- it shouldn't have been invented yet… but what the hell. =P It's Hollywood._


	15. Would you rather be alone?

**_The Secret of Hell Water_**

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_(A/N- I LOVE YOU ALL! Reviews! YAY! I love reviews!!!  *Dances the jello dance of happiness* you are all THE ABSOLUTE BEST!! *Hugs you all to death* _

_ I'm so sorry this chapter is late... Ugh- I had two friend's birthdays to deal with this week, and one sister to see off to college… that's been taking up all my free-time. OMG it's late… I'm going to be a zombie at work tomorrow- FEEL SPECIAL!!!  Okay- I'll shut up.  Here ya go, chapter 15! I hope you enjoy it!)_

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**_Chapter 15- Would you rather be alone?_**

" You ARE here!" Elizabeth cried, holding up three ropes.  "Hurry, we need to get out of here, or the ship is going to leave!"

Will's face paled visibly in the fading torchlight. "Elizabeth! What are you—why did you come back down here?"

Elizabeth could tell by his tone that he was angry. She frowned and shot him her best look of defiance. " I wasn't about to let those pirates leave without you! There's a storm on the horizon. We've got less than ten minutes. We must hurry! Come on!"

She held the ropes up for emphasis and then noticed Emma lying unconscious beside Jack.  Her mouth fell open with surprise. Her rebellious look faded in that instant.

"Emma! Dear lord, what happened to her?"

Jack took hold of two of the ropes; he tied one of them around Emma's waist securely, and then said with a backward glance.  " Shark, love… took a bite outta 'er. She'll be okay though."

" We have to hurry, before it comes back." Will said impatiently, still glaring at Elizabeth.  " I don't know how persistent those things are.  If it hasn't left the area, it will be circling nearby, waiting for Emma to bleed to death."

" Then what are you waiting for! Let's go! " Elizabeth's patience was running terribly thin, the strain of recent events was doing it's best to grate down on her nerves.

They didn't spare another moment.  Jack picked up Emma and slung her over his shoulder. He jumped in the water, followed closely by Will and Elizabeth.  Once again, they peered down from under the ledge to make sure the shark was not in site.  The coast appeared to be clear, and they tugged on each rope and felt the sudden swift pull on the other end, angling them sharply upwards against the current and to safety.

They were lucky this time around.  Will was the last to leave the water, just before he hit the surface, he thought he saw a dark shape coming out of the depths, but didn't have time to confirm his sighting before he was hoisted aboard.

He met with the relieved faces of the pirates.  Jack had already freed himself from his lifeline and was looking at the distant horizon with a fevered expression.

" Jack," Elizabeth shook the water from her hair and looked at him nervously.  " How do we get out of here?"

The storm was almost upon them, Jack pursed his lips and watched the play of the waves on the surface of the water.  Suddenly, his eyes alighted.  He could see a strong easterly wind blowing in their direction. It was quickly approaching, hitting the surface of the water at a slow but steady rate, sending tiny ripples in their direction against the flow of the current.  If he could just use that gust of wind…

" Bring 'er about! Retie the mainsheet to take a blast from the port side.  Rack out the oars!"

The crew instantly set into motion. It wasn't a minute too soon before Will and Gibbs tied off the mainsheet at Jack's desired position that the great gust of wind hit the boat broadside.  With a great creaking of wood and a terrific snap of the sails as they filled with this new, easterly wind, the ship tottered for a moment, then slid off of the sandbar, heading in a swift, easterly direction away from the whirlpool.

The gust of wind died down instantly.  Jack continued to shout orders and the oars were in place, rowing the ship steadily towards the eastern exit of Hell Water.

The faces of the crew were elated; it looked as if their escape was guaranteed, until Duncan called out from the crow's nest.

" Breakers!" he cried. " Breakers off the starboard bow!"

" Hard to port!" Jack roared, and he turned to dash up to the helm to give Anamaria a hand.

The ship turned sharply inwards, pointing precariously towards the terrifying whirlpool, it barely missed a rocky outcropping that was just hidden underneath the surface of the water. The unexpected turn send them right onto another hidden sandbar.  The wind, which had abated at that moment, chose to return, and set them once again on their desired course.

Jack cursed under his breath as he strained with every muscle to keep the ship on course towards the exit, fighting against the strong bursts of wind that wanted to take it up on the rocks off to their right. He didn't know how must longer it would be until the full weight of the storm would hit, he felt a drop of rain hit his nose in answer to the question.

Suddenly, through the torrent of the high winds and the spray of the ocean, a high-pitched wail could be heard.  He and several other crewmembers turned their heads to see Emma.  She'd returned to her human form and she had awoken to a most unhappy circumstance.

The girl had stopped bleeding, she was not nearly close to full regeneration, but she had awoken to the sound of the ship creaking, the shouts of the crew, and the drone of the storm that approached. 

Jack winced visibly as he saw her try to stagger up, and then fall to her knees in vain.  Unable to walk, (for- in human form, she was missing a good portion of her left foot) she gruesomely began to crawl on hands and knees over towards the side of the ship.

Jack gave the wheel to Anamaria again.  He, Will, and Elizabeth ran to intercept her, but they arrived too late.  Emma had managed to climb over the side of the railing, and pitched herself ungracefully into the water.

" WOMAN OVERBOARD" yelled Jack as he grasped for her lifeline, which was luckily still connected to her waist.

" Emma!" Elizabeth leaned over the edge, searching the surface of the water.

The pull of the ship was separating their distance from the mermaid rapidly, and Jack couldn't seem to get a hold of the rope.  It was uncoiling too quickly from the rush of the wind and the opposite pull of the current.  It slipped and slid through his hands.  Finally, with Will's help, they both managed to grab and hold onto it, straining hard against the pull of the current.

" HANDS TO PORT!" Yelled Jack, and several crewmembers rushed over to help them.

" Ah!" Cried Elizabeth, she pointed sharply out towards the north wall, " There she is!"

Being in a different location than where they'd been previously, Emma had not been taken by the downward current, but had found herself instead swept about the edge of the whirlpool and cornered against the north wall among some rocks. 

Jack's eyes narrowed slightly, then he called out to Cotton and Elizabeth.  " Man the chase canons!" 

" What?" Will's voice could barely be heard over the roar of the wind and the waves as Elizabeth and Cotton vanished below to the gun deck.  " Why are you going to shoot at her for?"

" Not her." Jack said.  It wasn't more than half a second before Will could see what he meant.  With mingled gasps of horror, the crew beheld the familiar sharp dorsal fin rise up through the surface of the water, making its way swiftly towards her from the far side of the bay.

" Pray for a miracle!" Gibbs intoned as they pulled at her, bringing her slowly but steadily closer toward the Black Pearl.  

Ten more seconds passed, but it seemed far too long for both Will and Jack to wait in suspense.  The shark was no more than thirty feet away, swimming along the northern cliff to keep clear of the whirlpool in the center, and closing in fast.  Then, word came from below that the canons were ready.

" Aim for the blighter, FIRE!" Jack bellowed, straining against the pull of the rope simultaneously with the rest of the crew.

A great explosion of canon fire echoed throughout the canyons, sending a great cloud of smoke over the heads of the crewmembers.  Seconds later, there was a great crack and rumble as they hit their marks.  One hit the water far off its mark.  The second one was aimed too high and hit the cliff side.  With a huge rumble that reverberated through the bay, the rock face of the cliff began to crumble by the impact.  Great boulders cascaded down on top of the maddened predator in a monstrous landslide.  The shark disappeared under the bubbling, frothing water in a cloud of dust and rock.

It did not resurface. And they pulled a shaking, tired, and nearly hysterical mermaid from the water not a moment too soon.  The minute she touched down on the deck, the full weight of the storm hit, pitching the ship precariously eastward again.  Gibbs threw the rope onto the ground and started shouting orders as the crew scattered.  They were almost at the east entrance, and were luckily out the danger of the whirlpool, and the rocks.

Jack and Will both knelt down to regard her.

" Why did you jump off the ship like that?" Will asked angrily. " You almost got eaten a second time!"

" Why did you do that!?" She sobbed, too distraught to answer his question.  Tears streamed down her face, and her shoulders shook violently.  " It's buried! It's buried! Now I'll never get it! It's buried under all that rock!"

" Jack did it to save your life!" Will cried exasperated.

" You have to let me go back.  You have to! The shark has my dagger!  I need it…I NEED IT!!!"  She tried once more to struggle towards the railing, but this time he was ready.  Jack held his arm out and swept her up over his shoulder.

" I'm sorry, love." He said loud enough so she could hear.  " But I can't allow you to endanger my ship again.  Or my crew for that matter, savvy?"

He started to head towards the hatch leading directly below and to the crew's quarter, doing his best to ignore her frantic pleas.

" Let me go!" 

Emma's struggle was no match for Jack Sparrow; he managed to keep a good hold on her, despite her best attempts to wrestle herself from his grip. She managed to elbow him in the back of the head at one point, and he staggered, grimacing in discomfort.

Will watched the pair go below the deck, then caught the eye of Gibbs and ran to help with the management of the ship so that it would see itself safely through the storm.

~*~*~*~*~  
  


            Emma had somewhat recovered her head by the time Jack deposited her onto her hammock. She'd forced down her tears, and instead tried her best to reason with him.

            " Jack, if you just let me jump off your ship, you don't have to worry about me.  You can leave me behind.  I CAN'T leave now! My dagger is still down there!"

            " Leave you to do what? Dig under 50 feet of hard granite? How will you be able to accomplish that all by yer onesie, eh?" He swayed about as he said this like a snake, hypnotizing its prey.  She fell silent, caught up in his magnetic dark-eyed gaze. His eyelashes showered droplets of water as he continued to talk, gesticulating vaguely with twitching hands.  " If you hadn't noticed, we're in the middle of a bonnie bit of a gale at the moment… I'm needed on deck, and so I'm going to ask you to do me a favor.  Stay here, and don't do anything stupid, savvy?"

            Without waiting for an answer, he turned on his heel and strode out of the cabin, closing the door behind him securely.

            Emma wanted to get up and move, but she couldn't bring her muscles to respond.  Her body was in the midst of its regeneration. She hadn't known where she'd gotten the strength for her earlier escape attempt.  Instead, she lay on her hammock in the dark cabin, feeling the rock of the waves and listening to the spray of the sea and the ominous whistling of the wind.   A great hopelessness washed over her.  The tears she'd tried so hard to force down sprang up anew. He was taking her away from all her long sought after dreams.  Why couldn't he just leave her there?  Indignation seized her heart, and she cursed the name of Jack Sparrow.

" _Damn him… that lying, cheating, scoundrel!"_ She thought as she clenched the fabric of her shift in one hand, tasting salty tears as they ran down her cheeks in a constant stream.  Now she would never get the Blade of Neptune.  How long would it be before she could get back to Hell Water again? Who would go back there now that the treasure had been salvaged?  Who would be stupid enough?  These thoughts ran bitterly through her head, a great sob escaped her lips, and she gave into her grief, crying uncontrollably.

 Cursed with immortality.  Never to fulfill her hopes, never to live her life the way she longed to…  it would never end.  She would never find her paradise.

With these melancholy thoughts, and a steady stream of tears, she gave once more to exhaustion, and fell fast sleep.  

~*~*~*~*

            If it hadn't been for Elizabeth's sharp eyes, _The Black Pearl_ most likely would not have survived the storm.  But she'd located a safe spot to anchor the ship, just outside of the main channel that was more or less sheltered from the worst of the wind.

            They waited out the storm, and by the time the last clouds left the scene, it was reaching nighttime and the round silver disc of the moon was just barely peaking up over the cliffs.  

            " Weigh anchor. Rack out the oars, keep a sharp eye for breakers, steady as she goes." Jack ordered from his favorite spot at the helm.  He absently stroked one of the handles of the great black wheel as they came about, thinking smugly to himself that the venture had, overall, been a success. They'd managed to recover the bulk of the treasure; survived two horrifying storms, a few shark attacks, and only one among them had sustained any serious damage.  And the person in question would undoubtedly be fully healed within the next day or so.

            The night passed without further trouble.  According to Black Jack Sparrow's map, the east exit out of the treasure site eventually met up with their main course in a giant loop, and they were able to find their way out of Hell Water before daybreak.  They made their way once again through the perilous reef, following Jack's bearings carefully. No more storms came upon them, and the ship was well out of Hell Water by the late afternoon.

            Jack stood at the helm.  He'd not seen nor heard anything at all from Emma since the day before when he'd dumped her into her hammock so unceremoniously and told her to not do anything stupid. He began to wonder if she was all right by now.  The recent adventures had kept him so busy that he'd hardly had any time to worry about the girl. But now that he could finally put Hell Water behind him, he couldn't help but be a little concerned. (Though he did an amazing job at not showing it- Captain Jack Sparrow didn't get concerned over a mere woman after all… no, never!) 

This did not stop Elizabeth or Will from asking Anamaria after Emma's welfare. Anamaria, as they all knew, shared a room with the mermaid.  The fiery tempered female pirate assured them and the rest of the crew that she was okay, but she refused to get out of her hammock, eat, or say more than two or three words.

" She just lies there like a lump," She said indifferently.  " She'll snap outta it… I don't know why she's got 'erself so worked up over a silly knife."

            Jack listened to her tell her story of Emma's depression and grimaced, thinking to himself,  " _Didn't I tell her not to do anything stupid?"_

He paused in his thoughts and considered the last of Anamaria's statement.  Emma was still depressed over the loss of her treasure. And no wonder… As soon as the storm had abated, he'd ordered Elizabeth below to do an inventory on their recovered swag.  She was the only crewmember he trusted to handle it, that simultaneously was good with numbers.  So far, she said she had not found any sign of a bone knife. Jack had kept his eye open while they were rifling the loot in the cave, and had not come up with it either.  He grudgingly admitted to himself that it must not have made its way onto the ship. 

            Just then, he remembered something else Emma had said, just after they'd rescued her a second time from the water.  She'd mentioned something about the shark having her treasure?

            He shook his head, she must have been raving. She'd been scared out of her wits by the thing more than once in the past twenty-four hours.  There was no way the shark could possibly have the Blade of Neptune.  

            Then, somewhere in the depths of his foggy memory from the underwater battle, he recalled the feeling of closing his fingers over the hilt of a knife in a desperate attempt to rescue Emma from its hungry jaws… the hilt of a knife…

            Jack glanced from side to side through the corners of his eyes to make sure no one was looking in his direction, then stooped and drew out the knife he'd found from inside his boot. He could see it clearly in the fading sunset.  The hilt was smooth as silk between his thumb and forefinger and it was uniformly a pale, milky white that seemed to reflect the purples and pinks in the clouds above. It sent a shimmer of color down the hilt of the blade.  He felt along the edge with a finger, careful not to cut himself.  If it was as old as Emma claimed, then it was still as sharp as a razor. Undeniably, it was made of bone.

            As he gazed down at it, an idea clicked into place inside his head.  His contemplative frown melted away to a familiar, devious smile and he called Anamaria to take the helm. 

            He slipped the precious dagger back into his boot and sauntered down to the deck.

            " Where are you going, Jack?" Will asked him with a sideways glance, noticing the Captain heading towards the hatch.

            " Why, to see what ails our dear Emma, mate." Jack exclaimed in an innocent, off-handed manner. 

            Will exchanged a curious glance with Elizabeth as Jack disappeared from sight.

~*~*~*~*~

Emma's eyes flew open as the light of a candle broke the murky darkness, disrupting her restless slumber.  She'd dreamt of terrifying sharks, rockslides, and being trapped and unable to free herself in a never-ending whirlpool… swirling endlessly down into the crushing black oblivion of the murky depths. 

            Thinking that it must have all been a terrible nightmare, she looked up at Jack with relief.  His look was grave, and suddenly the reality of her predicament dawned on her again.  She shivered and forced her eyes away from his intense gaze, feeling a cold grip descend on her heart. Emma reluctantly called back the memory that Jack had been the one to force her away from Hell Water empty-handed.

            " What do you want?" She asked him coldly.

            " To give you what you've been wanting." He said in a low, smooth tone of voice.  Her eyes shot up to meet his and she tried to raise her head, but it wouldn't budge. She was too weak, both physically and emotionally to be able to move from where she lay. Her foot was almost fully regenerated. She wriggled her toes experimentally, there was still some discomfort, but she was relieved that she could at least feel toes again.

            " What is that?" She said softly and with a shaking voice.  She thought he must not have heard her, because he was silent for a time.   She saw a glimmer of his metal teeth in the candlelight, and knew he must be smiling at her.

            " To offer you a place as crew aboard my ship." He said.  " As a pirate… Ye've more than earned it, love."

            The tiny glimmer of hope that she dared to nurture vanished instantly, and the grip on her heart squeezed even tighter.  She'd hoped he would say he'd found her dagger among the swag stored in the brig. The disappointment of the moment was almost too much for her to bear.

            " I don't want it." She said abruptly, with more force than she had expected to use. " I want to leave here… I never want to see this horrible ship again, or you for that matter! You wretched, despicable…pirate!"  She knew the moment the words left her mouth, that they were not true, but she was still to aggrieved with her current situation to give him any satisfaction.

_" He's pitying me…"_ she thought bitterly. And she hated him even more in that moment for it.

            There was another long pause. Then she heard the scrape of his boots as he turned and started to head towards the door.  Instantly, she felt sorry for what she'd said, 

" Jack!" She called back to him and he halted.  Then he turned to glance over his shoulder at her.  The beads in his hair glinted sharply off the light of the candle as they swayed with the motion.

            " I figured you may feel that way, darling." His voice was low and charismatically calm.  She thought that he must have been smiling at her with that usual disgusting look of amusement on his face.  "We're far clear of Hell Water now. If you want to leave, I'll not stop ye.  However, if ye should decide to take up my offer, I'll wait until dawn tomorrow for your decision. If you're not here in the morning, well… I will have gotten my answer."

            He turned again to go, but Emma called out to him hesitantly.

            " Wait, Jack…" She called weakly, straining her muscles to respond and finally managed, through sheer force of will to lift her head and regard him as he turned back to glance at her.  His silhouette stood out in sharp contrast with the light of the flickering candle that he held in his hands.  She couldn't tell what kind of face he was giving her.

            " Why didn't you let me go back?" She asked him, trying hard to keep her voice from shaking. " Why didn't you just pitch me over the side as I asked?"

            " Would you have forgiven me if I had?" Jack responded without hesitation.

Emma didn't know how to answer, she wanted to say, "_Yes,"_ But she wasn't entirely sure if that was the truth.  She hadn't thought along those lines.  All she'd thought about was getting The Blade of Neptune back.  But in all honesty, would she have wanted him to so carelessly pitch her over the side?  To so blatantly show her that he couldn't care less about her?  Especially when she knew in her own heart that she cared about him so deeply?

" No." She finally answered.

" Well then, you have your answer, love. Good night." Then, without another glance, he turned and left the room, closing the door firmly behind him. 

            Emma laid her head back on the pillow and listened to the sound of his boot steps as they faded away into the distance, thinking about what he'd said.

            She lay awake for a long time, Anamaria eventually came into the room and crawled up into her own hammock.  It wasn't long before the woman's gentle snores disturbed the silence of the night.  Emma's mind rolled over her brief conversation with Jack so many times, and she agonized over what she should do, that she had no hope of sleeping at all.  Finding herself wide awake, she realized that she was suddenly very hungry.  With a groan, she managed to sit up, and staggered out of her hammock, swaying dangerously on her feet.  Her left foot was still tender and sore. It felt like she was walking on pins and needles, but she endured the pain and lurched precariously out of the room. Keeping one hand against the wall for support, she headed up towards the galley.

            She fished an apple out of a nearly empty barrel and ate it hungrily.  It was not very good, but she was too hungry to be picky.  After that and a drink of water, the food made her feel instantly better.  She was already a little more sturdy on her feet, and she found herself wandering up to the deck.  

As she cleared the hatch and inhaled the cool sea breeze, feeling the inviting caress blow through her tangled hair, relaxation washed over her.  Her ears drank in the delightful sound of the waves, the gentle flapping of the wind in the canvas, and the steady creak of the ship as it rolled gently on the sea. The peaceful calm of the moment helped to abate her worries slightly, but her mind was still abuzz with a huge mixture of thoughts.  Emma walked down the length of the ship towards the stern, and heard the hum of a song from somewhere above her head. 

 "_It must be someone at the look-out_." She thought. She walked over to the edge of the ship and peered down into the dark water as it moved swiftly past. The moon reflected sharply off of the waves, giving them an ethereal shimmer.

_            "How easy it would be…"_she thought_, "To just jump right in and be gone forever…"_

She remembered one other time when she'd considered that. It had been right after she'd woken up in bed beside Jack.  At the time, she'd been horrified that she'd gotten so drunk as to end up in such a position.  She'd foolishly thought that she was getting in over her head.

            " _If only I'd known then what I do now… I wonder if I still would have gone through with it?"_ She thought dubiously.  But she didn't need to think long to know the answer to that question.  Of course, she would have done it again.  It had been the most amazing, terrifying, confusing adventure of her lifetime.  Strangely enough, she didn't regret a single moment.

            "_And now? How would I react if that happened again?"_ she mused, smiling half-heartedly.  " _I wouldn't mind, I don't think… but what would that mean to him?" _Her tiny smile faded as a melancholy swept over her._  " It would mean nothing… really. He only thinks of me as some kind of fascinating object…something to use to get what he wants!"_

            She grimaced at the thought, a wave of anger swept over her.  How could she have been so blind? "_The Infamous Captain Jack Sparrow gives his heart to no one…you should have learned that by now, Emma… " _She told herself crossly.

            The thought gave her a shiver, her heart ached, and a stray tear rolled down her cheek of its own accord.  She wiped it away hastily, still staring down at the water with intensity. Her mind was in turmoil.

             " _He refused to abandon you at Hell Water_." A little voice spoke up in her mind in Jack's defense.  _" He saved you from the shark instead of saving himself… he cares for you."_

            She shook her head angrily, " _Only when it was in his best interest. He used me like a puppet on a string!  It was my treasure… I could have had it! I'll leave and find someone else to take me there_!"

            " _You're in love with him, and you're thinking of leaving?_" the voice of reason chided her.

            " _I am not in love with him_." She thought back bitterly.

            _" Honestly now, who in this whole wide world would you rather be with_?"

            _" I have always been just fine on my own_." She tried hard to disagree, but the voice was unfortunately becoming difficult to argue with. " _I don't need anyone, especially Jack Sparrow… he's nothing but a… a unsympathetic brigand. He doesn't care about me!"_

            " _Would you rather be alone? He's offering you a place on his ship. He's giving you the life you want, isn't it? Don't be stupid.  Only a fool would refuse."  _It said with calm certainty.  She gave a little start as Jack's voice suddenly rang in her head in echo to this comment.

            _" Don't do anything stupid."_ He'd drawled out the last word, rolling it off his tongue smoothly and cutting straight to her heart.  The word hung in her mind with terrific clarity.

            She felt suddenly dizzy and grabbed a hold of the railing for support, then sunk down to her knees and leaned heavily against the broad wooden beams, staring avidly out at the rolling black waves.

            _" Would you rather be alone?" _ The thought echoed again throughout her mind, and she shook her head vehemently as another hot tear rolled down her cheek. She conjured a picture of Jack in her mind.  He was smiling at her with a look of amusement in his sparkling, irresistible coal-lined eyes.  A corner of his mouth was upturned, showing a glimmer of a gold tooth.  His unkempt black hair, decorated with so many coins and beads and trinkets that they danced about when he walked, poured over his shoulders in soft waves. He exuded confidence, and at the same time, a blundering, comical grace that masked his underlying intelligence and quick-mindedness… His swaying walk, the lilt of his accent as he spoke with that silky-smooth voice and the way he would gesticulate with his hands and lurch about even while on solid land all set her heart pounding.  The sweet taste of the sea on his skin…the tang of rum on his lips… His calloused hands as they ran down her skin. His hot breathe on the back of her throat… The feel of his weight against her body…

" _Oh God… what do I do?"_ She whispered down at the turbulent waves, the full realization struck her of what she'd tried so hard to deny just moments before. " _I am in love with him!"_

Another tear rolled down her cheek, she hunched over, feeling suddenly ill. The full scale of her predicament fell down around her.  It was strictly taboo for a mermaid to love a mortal, whenever it happened; it never failed to always end with tragedy.  It was best to sever the connection.  Or she would only find more pain in her immortality later along the road. But Jack, what about him? 

" _No…" _She felt the cold clutch of panic and tightened her grip on the wooden railing, squeezing her eyes shut.  _" No… I don't want to be alone!"_

She sat like that for a long time, with nothing but the gentle wind playing through her hair, the occasional spray of the sea, and the roll of the darkened waves for company.  Her thoughts were a chaotic jumble, bending one way and then another, weighing and balancing one choice against the other, the pros, the cons, the truth and the fiction...  But always it came back to that one basic conclusion.

"_ I don't want to be alone…"_


	16. Fulfillment

**The Secret of Hell Water**

**_(A/N- This is the R rated version of Chapter 16, because I'm paranoid that I might get in trouble with ff.net if I post a full blown lemon.  For those of you who are interested in reading the lemon, the NC-17 rated version contains explicit sex.  It can be found on my website.  You can get a link directly from my bio page. The NC-17 version is for adults only! YE BE WARNED! )_**

_(A/N- Part 2-HUZZAH!!! *dances the jello dance of happiness* I'm SO sorry this chapter is late.  I got majorly busy over the last few days and lemon takes a damn long time to write.  I hope you enjoy it! Technically, this is the last chapter.  However, I am considering writing an epilogue. So keep yer eyes open for that in the next week or so._  

_And once again, I would like to thank all my WONDERFUL reviewers!! I LOVE you all! You keep me interested in writing this fic. I had no idea it would be so well received!  Particularly because it's a Jack/OC fic and a lot of fans seem to roll their eyes at that. But I did my absolute best to create a character that I felt was deserving of our beloved Captain Jack.  =)_

_Some individual  responses:_

_Evilspoofauthor1sven: LOL- I'm so sorry, it seems like every chapter I write is a cliffhanger isn't it? I can't help it. I do try though!! I could end them in MUCH worse spots, couldn't I? ^_~_

_Mrs. Sparrow: Am I a writer_? *Blush*_ Ohhh—I'm way to flattered! Thank you!  But sadly no… Not in a professional sense.  I write fanfiction purely for my own enjoyment (and all of yours, of course!).****_

_- And now, on with the story!_

**Chapter 16- Fulfillment**

            Jack opened his eyes reluctantly as the first glow of morning entered through the windows of his small cabin situated at the stern of his ship.  Exhausted from the work of the past few days, the he'd had little trouble falling asleep that night. It had been a long and dreamless sleep.  As he lay staring up at the wooden beams of his ceiling, Jack mused over the realization that he hadn't had as restful a night as that in a long time.  He usually was only able to sleep so well after an extensive night of drinking. But, seeing as he'd gone to bed last night completely sober, he wondered if strenuous exercise wasn't quite as under-rated as he'd supposed it was. 

 As he rose from his bed and reached for his shirt, his muscles ached out in protest.  He grimaced slightly and did his best to stretch.  His body felt as though it had been put through a ringer. Which, when thinking back wasn't quite too far from the truth.  In the last two days, he'd nearly gotten himself killed more times than he would care to count.  His muscles and swimming expertise had been the only things that saved him.

            And a certain mermaid…

            Memories of Emma and yesterday's encounter came back to him slowly.  Jack pursed his lips as he reached for his frayed, dirty red and white striped sash, and wound it around his waist, buckling it in place with a worn leather belt.

            " _She'll be waiting for me, I s'pect…"_ He thought, glancing over at the front door.  " _She usually just comes barging in here_." He dug into his vest pocket and fished out her dagger.  He turned it over lightly in his hands, and peered at the door again through the corners of his eyes, a sly smile of anticipation crept across his face.

            He slid it back into place, donned his coat and hat, and then marched out the door into the full brilliance of the early morning.  The sun had just shed its first rays of light over the horizon.  Jack paused for a moment to take in the splendor of the view.  The sky was colored with light purples and blues, casting colorful shadows on the scattered clouds in the distance.  The bright rays of the brand new sun made the waves dance with shimmering gold.   The effect was breathtaking.  His smile widened, he had a very good feeling about this day. 

            There were a few murmurs of "Good morning to ye, Cap'n." from the nearest crewmembers. 

            Jack looked about him discreetly for the familiar honey colored braid and billowing gray skirts of the petite female soon-to-be pirate.  However, his eyes only met with the disappointing view of a lot of dirty, unwashed pirates.  He pursed his lips and began to walk the length of his ship, keeping a sharp eye out for any sign of Emma.

            It soon became apparent that she was not on deck. He wondered if she was still asleep, and considered if he should ask anyone.  But decided against it as soon as the thought struck his mind.  He was not about to let anyone think he cared. He was Captain Jack Sparrow, after all.

            After searching the crew's quarters, Emma's bunk, the galley, the hold, the brig, and every other nook and cranny he could think of… he came to the grim conclusion that she was no where to be found on the ship.  He wandered idly a bit longer, feeling a strange numbness settle over his mind, and eventually found himself at the far stern, staring off into the distance at the trailing wake of the ship.  His feet moved underneath him with the familiar rock of the vessel instinctively.  His idle hands twitched, and he brought one up to caress his braided beard.  The other he planted firmly on his hip. His brain began to work again slowly, calculatingly… 

He thought he'd had the girl figured. He had been sure that she wouldn't leave his ship. She'd wanted so fervently to join his crew. But now… maybe his judgment had been wrong?

            The corners of Jack's eyes wrinkled as he squinted into the distant horizon, as if he was hoping to catch a glimpse of Emma jumping out of the water in a farewell salute.  His hand dropped from his chin and clutched the rough wooden railing as his eyes alighted on sudden unexpected movement in the distance.  His back stiffened and a tiny breath escaped his lips before he realized that it was nothing more than a family of dolphins.  Jack paused, watching their play as one by one they jumped high up from the water, spinning and falling broadside back into the turbulent waves with a splash.  He relaxed, watching them shrink into the distance.

            Well, if she was gone, then there was certainly nothing he could do about it. Was there? What hopes would he have of finding one mermaid in the whole of the Caribbean? It would be easier to find a needle in a haystack.  Well, it was nothing a good splash of rum wouldn't fix when he arrived back in Tortuga.  At least, he hoped that would be the case.

            Jack gave an ugly grimace; his good mood had dropped considerably within the last half hour while he'd been searching the ship.  He thought of _The Black Pearl_ in a last, vain attempt to lift his spirits.  Thinking of his ship was usually enough to make him forget anything that bothered him. However, this time was the exception. He couldn't make himself feel better.  His ship seemed suddenly empty at that moment.  There was something missing from the scenery.  Knowing perfectly well what it was, he let out a low grumble, feeling just as angry with himself as he was with Emma's disappearance. Why should he care whether she was gone or not? Why should he? He was Captain Jack Sparrow!

 He turned quickly on his heel to march back to his cabin to see if he could find anything fit enough to drink to put him in a nice, alcoholic stupor. But before he took two steps he ran straight into an unexpected figure.

Emma fell back with a tiny grunt of surprise, catching herself just shy of falling over.  She looked up at him with a frown; her unnaturally dark blue eyes sparkled with a flare of anger.

" I've been looking for you all morning." She said impatiently.

" Oh?" Jack found it exceptionally difficult to recover his cool in that instant, as just moments ago he'd been convinced that she'd jumped off the side of his ship and left for good.  His right eye twitched noticeably as he swayed back and surveyed her from head to toe.  Her eyes were red and puffy, she looked even paler than usual, and she'd not bothered to arrange her hair that morning. Her clothes were thrown on in an unusual careless manner. The skirt was heavily wrinkled, as if it had been slept in, and one sleeve of her white chemise was slipping down off her smooth, rounded shoulder.  All in all, to him she looked good enough to ravage in that instant.  

 He squinted his eyes, not giving any indication of his previous discomfort.  " I've been right here, love.  Waiting for you, actually..."

She seemed to soften at his calm tone of voice, and then took a deep breath, slowly letting it out with a half-hearted laugh.  Then, as an afterthought, tried to smooth her skirts unsuccessfully with nervously shaking hands.

" Oh, I was up late last night."

" Ah-" and a smile alighted on his face.  " Next time ye have trouble sleeping, I'd recommend a good strong drink. Ye can never go wrong with that."

"… Yes…" She pursed her lips, " I suppose I'll try that next time."

There was a long pause, where neither spoke. Finally, Jack cleared his throat and swayed back on his heels, peering down at her through half closed eyelids.

" Have ye given my proposal further thought, then, love?"

Emma's cheeks colored and she briefly nodded her head.  " I… I would like to join your ship.  And… sail under your command, Jack."

" That would be _Captain_ Jack, to you now love." Jack corrected her with a grin.

" Captain…yes sir." She said timidly.

Jack shook his head.  " Jest Captain if ye please, love."

" Yes, Captain." She said again, feeling the heat in her cheeks rising even higher.  Was he playing with her now?

" Miss Emma." Jack's tone was suddenly very stern, and she straightened, looking up at him. " Hold out yer hand, lass."

Emma obeyed and Jack caught her extended wrist in his firm grasp. He dug into his pocket and brought out a shining white object, obscured by his palm.  He deftly twirled it in his fingers and righted his grip, then before Emma could utter a sound, cut a wound at the tip of her pointer finger deep enough to leave a scar in the shape of a rough 'P'.

Emma stood completely awestruck. The first thing she'd noticed was that he was holding the Blade of Neptune in his hands, the second thing was the sudden sting as it sliced through her flesh, and the third thing was that the wound tingled like it was on fire. She clutched her hand away in pain, wincing visibly.

Jack straightened and lowered the blade, watching her curiously.

"Yer official now. A member of me crew." He flashed a suave, gold-toothed smile at her.

The pain in her finger was gone as soon as it had come.  She glanced down at the wound in shocked silence as the blood collected at the edges and slowly seeped out, running down the curve of her finger in a tiny rivulet.  Normally, a cut as minor as that would have healed over in a second.  But she bled as normally as any human being would.

She thought she'd cried herself dry last night, but nevertheless, when she looked up at him, two tears slid down her cheeks of their own accord.  She gasped, not knowing what to say. Her heart was completely full.

" J…Jack…"

" Captain!" Jack corrected her again, then, as an afterthought, he took her uninjured hand in his and pressed the hilt of the bone knife into it.  Her fingers wrapped around the blade and she peered down at it speechless.

" That's yer share of the swag from Hell Water, Love. I can give it to ye, now that yer a member. Spend it wisely."

" You… you had it." She whispered. " You had it this whole time?"

" Not until well after we'd left Hell Water." Jack spoke up quickly, raising his hands in defense.  He could sense a slap coming. " I… I must have taken it from the bugger back during the struggle. But I didn't remember none o' that until later, savvy?"

" But… you had it…" 

" I must confess… I was sorely tempted to keep it for meself." He admitted grudgingly.  " But on the other hand, ye deserved it.  And so I figured a compromise was in order." He pursed his lips and continued on, staring avidly out at the rolling blue horizon.   "I would give ye the choice. It would be fair compensation for my solidarity if ye did decide to leave…" 

Jack trailed off and frowned down at the girl. Emma continued to gaze at him, her face was screwed up, as if she was trying very hard to keep her emotions under check, but failing miserably.  Another tear slid down her cheek, leaving a shiny trail in its wake.  He didn't know what to do in this situation. He hated it when a woman cried in front of him; it always made him feel terribly inadequate.

            Emma, on the other hand, was feeling a great mixture of emotions, and didn't know whether to laugh out loud, cry, or slap him silly.  Her heart was so full with the knowledge that she'd finally achieved what she'd been waiting so long for.  Her hand clutched the dagger tightly and she gazed up at him.  He'd deliberately hidden it from her.  She'd almost left on a wild goose chase to get it back… and he would have let her!  He would have let her just jump off the side of the ship and be gone for no reason.

But… she'd decided to stay.  A part of her knew the whole time that she wouldn't be able to leave the ship… leave him.  And the look in his eyes as she gazed up at him told her that he knew it too.  Once again, the allusive Captain Jack Sparrow had read her mind as clearly as an open book.  He was a sly one, and she'd once again walked straight into his trap.  He'd played off of her to get exactly what he wanted. Her allegiance, her gratitude, her heart… and it had worked too well.  She realized that she couldn't be completely angry with him.  His last words he'd spoken suddenly rang through her mind…

"_Compensation for solidarity_?" She thought suddenly. Her eyes alighted as the full meaning took hold.  It was probably the closest thing Jack could come to saying he cared for her.  If he was willing to give up a treasure such as that, if it meant keeping her by his side… it was a strange, unorthodox declaration… but one nonetheless!

A calm descended upon her as she made this discovery. She looked down at the reddened mark on her finger, and then pocketed the knife, and wiped the blood away on a handkerchief she took from inside her bodice and stared down at the wound with renewed awe.  It started bleeding again almost as soon as she'd wiped the blood away. She pursed her lips in consternation; she did not know how to make it stop.

"Best thing to do is apply pressure," Jack said haltingly. He reached his hand out and she extended her finger towards him hesitantly.  He took it between his thumb and forefinger, and pinched it tightly, giving the blood time to clot.  

Emma stared at him in amazement as he kept all his attention down on the task he'd set himself too.  It was like a dream come true.  She realized that she could not be angry with him.

Jack's eyes alighted on her for a moment, and then he flicked them back down to her finger.  The flow of the blood had sufficiently stilled, and he released her. He stepped back and swayed slightly on his feet in his usual subconscious manner, watching her avidly.

She was calm once again, and seemed to have reached some kind of conclusion in her mind. The tears stopped, and she stood a little straighter.  Then, she looked up at him with a surety that made him smile. She was back to her normal self again.

Then, without a moments warning, Emma brought her hand back, and slapped him hard.  Jack grunted as his head snapped around with the force of it.  He worked his jaw and grimaced, bringing a hand up to rub the sting from his cheek.

" Aye… that'll do." He said idly, and looked at her with a hint of reproach.

Emma returned his gaze with defiance.  "THAT… was for making me think I'd come all that way for nothing." Then she flashed a sly grin at him and shot up onto her toes, kissing him boldly.

Jack instinctively brought his hands up for an embrace, but she deftly slid out of his reach before he could get there, and stood a few feet away grinning at him like a cat.

" And…" bewilderment, and a hint of annoyance was present in Jack's voice.  "That was for…?"

" That was for this." She said, lifting her marked finger straight up into the air.  Her grin turned triumphant and she peered at it again, to make sure that the scar was still there.  "It... It hasn't healed yet. Look at it. It's beautiful."

Jack frowned contemplatively and craned his neck to look at the finger, then shrugged.  " Ye've got a strange definition of beautiful, love.  It's only a 'P', not that good either.  It looks kind of like an 'D' from here, actually."

Emma flashed him an incredulous look. " That's not what I meant."

" Well then, next time, say what ye mean!"

" I'm not getting into THAT again with you!" She argued, feeling the heat rise in her cheeks once more. " Besides, that's _my_ line!"

He returned her flustered look with mild amusement.  " I don't take that kind of tone out of me crew, savvy? So it should be no different with you. There's a code to uphold, after all."

Emma faltered at the sudden change of subject. " Code?"

" Aye, do well to remember that, love."

" What… are the rules?" She asked hesitantly.

" Ye should have asked that before ye decided to join my ship!" Jack said with a grin. " But, I'll humor ye, just this once." And he leaned forward for emphasis, taking off his hat and set it down lightly on a crate that was sitting beside them.  His eyes alighted on her with a familiar, unsettling intensity.

Emma pursed her lips, a little flustered despite her best attempts to hide it.  She did not like the mischievous glint in his eyes.  She knew it all too well. He was thinking dirty thoughts.  Her eyes strayed to his lonely hat, and, for lack of nothing better to do, and a desire to fidget; she reached down to pick it up.

" Rule number one!" Jack said as he swept it up before she could touch it.  Emma jumped back a little startled at his sudden ferocity. " Never touch my hat, savvy?"

Emma blinked as he planted it firmly on his head again.  " That's rule number 1?"

" Aye!"

" Really?"

" Rule number two." Jack continued without batting an eyelash at her incredulous stare.  " Ye must always obey the Captain, when he gives the orders."

"Well, that one makes sense…" She said with a nod. " And?"

Jack raised an eyebrow at her and then grinned. " That's them, love."

" That's ALL of them? Don't touch your hat, and obey the captain?"

" Aye! Well, aside from the usual code… who falls behind is left behind… and if ye steal another pirates share of swag, ye'll hang by the yardarm… we're pirates, after all." And he cracked his usual mischievous grin at her.

It was like his glance was a magnet that wanted to pull her too him.  He threw his head back, displaying both rows of shiny metal teeth and ogled her appraisingly. 

"So… Captain Sparrow." She said, trying hard to keep her voice steady.  " What… are my first orders?"

" I'll tell ye when I think of them." He gave her a sly smile and took a step towards her. Emma retreated a step, fully conscious of the intense gaze he directed at her, and knew exactly what was on his mind.   Part of her was fully amenable to his advances, but caution was one thing deeply ingrained in every woman, particularly when the man in question looked at her like a very succulent piece of meat ready to be put on the fire.  

Suddenly, Jack straightened and redirected his gaze to look over her shoulder. A look of amusement swept across his face, and she chanced a look behind her.

            The entire ship was watching them. Most of the pirates had huge gap-toothed grins on their faces.  She turned bright red in that instant. How much had they seen? Had Jack prepped them for this? She wouldn't put it past him; he seemed to enjoy making her life a whirlwind of ups and downs.

She glanced back at Jack, wondering what he was going to do, but the pirate captain just looked down at her appraisingly.  Then, quite suddenly they heard a great commotion coming from just below deck.  Everyone turned as the wooden hatch was thrown back and up bounded Will in a nervous fervor with Elizabeth in tow.  The lady pirate was pale faced, and she clutched a hand to her mouth with a terrible grimace of discomfort.  The minute her foot hit the floor of the deck, she shot like a bullet out of Wills grasp and headed straight for the railing, emptying her stomach over the side.

            Several of the pirates watched them with wide-eyed stares. Will was at Elizabeth's side in an instant and patted her back reassuringly.

            Anamaria took one look and directed one of the nearby pirates to get some water and a cloth for Elizabeth to wipe her mouth on.  She walked over to Will, who was searching about frantically with his eyes.

            " Where's Jack?" He asked her fervently.  " Elizabeth is sick! Is there a doctor? Is there anyone who could help her?"

            " I'm fine…" Elizabeth said throatily, and then promptly retched again. "Just… a little nausea…"

            " I'm here, Will m'boy." Jack walked over to them. Emma gave Elizabeth a pitying look.  The woman's face was a sickly pale color.

            " A doctor! Where's a doctor?" Will wrung his hands in nervous agitation.

            " Will…" Elizabeth's voice was weak, and she leaned on Anamaria, who offered her a damp rag and a cup of water. " Really, it's okay. I probably just ate something disagreeable."  She took the offered drink, swished the water around in her mouth and spit it out, then wiped her mouth on the rag.  

" Parritch." Muttered one of the pirates with a grimace, and the others all nodded with understanding.  Their food stores were growing low, and they'd all been reduced to the watery gruel that could barely be called adequate food.

Jack pursed his lips and glanced down at Elizabeth inquisitively. " No… I don't think so. Anamaria, take dear Elizabeth below and see to it she lies down to rest.  Will, ye'll stay here for a while." 

" Why? What's wrong? Do you know what's wrong with her? Is it influenza? Or pneumonia?"

Jack arched an eyebrow at him with a quizzical look. " Ye honestly haven't a clue, have ye?"

Will frowned and shook his head.

Jack's face split into a grin and then he winked at Emma, who reddened.  " Ye spend too much time locked up in that smithy, it would seem.  Try spending half yer life among the whorehouses and ye'll know the signs as sure as an oncoming storm."

" Signs?" Will's face was a complete blank. " What do whorehouses have to do with Elizabeth?"

Jack rolled his eyes upwards in hopeless abandon, then shook his head and said with an audible swagger. " She's PREGNANT lad! Pregnant!"

Will blinked, taking time for the news to register. It finally seemed to click in his mind, and his eyes widened considerably.  He opened his mouth to say something, but thought better and closed it again in shocked silence.

" P—Pregnant…?"

" She'll have a baby." Jack interrupted impatiently, followed by a hasty gesture of dismissal with one hand.  "Now get out o' me sight.  I was in the middle of something before ye interrupted so, if ye wouldn't mind… I'd like to resume my business." He glanced at Emma and grinned.  The girl stiffened and shifted her gaze to her feet awkwardly.

Will swayed on his feet, and slowly turned on his heel and walked stiff legged towards the hatch.  He stopped shortly before the steps, then a huge grin alighted on his face and he plunged out of view with excitement.

            ~*~*~*

Emma watched him and smiled to herself.  Her heart brimmed with happiness for them.  She knew Elizabeth had wanted a baby, she just hoped that this news wouldn't make them change their minds about staying on Jack's ship. She had grown to think of both Will and Elizabeth as the best of friends.  Her mind went in a full circle and she glanced up at Jack, who was regarding her with sparkling amusement in his eyes. The full weight of recent events swept across her again and she felt her heart quicken with excitement. Her finger tingled faintly, and she flashed him her best smile.

" Where was I?" Jack mused aloud.  Emma blinked and pursed her lips.

" Oh—well… you were," She thought hard, running over their recent conversation.  " You were going to give me my orders… Captain." She added the last part after the fact, trying hard to act professional.

" Oh yeah." His face broke into a grin, flashing all his metallic teeth and the smile sent her heart racing.  She was about to ask him what he was thinking, when without warning, Jack swooped down upon her. He lifted her up over his shoulder as easily as a sack of flour.

            " Wha… what!? What are you doing? Jack!" cried Emma. She was surprised and chagrined, and acutely conscious of all the pirates that were now watching them with mirth.  But he seemed to take no notice of her struggles.

" That's Captain to you, love."  Jack said with a grin.  He walked along the length of the ship, past one grinning face after another.  They all followed them with their eyes.  

Emma thought her face must be as red as a tomato.  She was going to _pummel _him for this! She heard the sound of a door creaking open, then Jack turned around, so she was facing the inside of his cabin. She heard his good-natured tone of voice as he addressed the crew that stood about watching them. 

" If I hear so much as a scratch on my door for the next hour or two, that man…or woman…" And he nodded his head to Anamaria who had just cleared the hatch,  "… will be swimming to Tortuga." He announced to his crew cheerfully.

            " JACK! Wait- put me down! Put me down now!" Emma was whirled around once more and the last thing she saw before the door shut in her face was the merrily smiling, dirty faces of the pirates.

            Jack swung her down and she landed heavily on top of the bed amidst a jumble of worn-out cushions and tangled blankets. He flung his coat over a chair and pitched his hat on top of his desk. Then, with a catlike grace, he leapt up and landed heavily next to her on the bed.  He leaned on his side, propped up on one elbow and gazed down at her with amusement.

            " You bloody pirate! How dare you! Do you just think I'm going to let you do whatever you want?" Emma struggled up and looked at him indignantly.

            " Yes, I think you are…" Jack gave her an appreciative smile, which made Emma's heart leap in her chest.

            " Oh really?" She said hoarsely, getting lost in his mischievous gaze. The look he directed at her made her forget the harsh words that were on her tongue, and instead she just stared at him wide-eyed.  She had been about to tell him that there had been no need to make such a spectacle. But then, he always liked to do things with a flare… She realized that it was one of the things she loved about him.  He did things that you would never expect.  It was always a surprise, with him. Always exciting… it was an incredible turn-on.  The dark gaze he directed at her, with his beautiful large coal-defined eyes made her pulse quicken significantly. 

" Really." Jack responded.

" I'd like to see you try!" She challenged, trying to keep her voice steady.

In answer to her challenge, his eyes flashed and with an intensity that caught her completely by surprise, he lunged at her and took her into a fierce embrace.  Emma found she could scarcely breathe as he kissed her heatedly, searching with his tongue until she opened her lips to receive him.  His mouth clamped solidly over hers and they kissed each other hungrily. 

With both arms pinned by his embrace, and unable to do much else than succumb to his heated searching of her mouth, she felt her meager resistance crumbling around her. 

Just as she thought she might suffocate unless he let her come up for air, Jack reluctantly leaned back to look at her.  She took a deep breath, collected her wits, and gave him an indignant stare.

" Must you always take without asking?" She said sullenly.

" It's an old habit, hard to break. I'm a pirate after all." He said matter-of-factly with a twitch of a smirk.  " Ye'll have to get used to it love, seeing as yer one of us now."

" I suppose I am… " She could still taste his kisses on her lips, and thought her face must be bright red.  She was fighting the internal struggle. Her body awakened with tiny tremors of anticipation as he pressed up against her. She wanted him so badly, but she was simultaneously afraid and thought how would this change her life?    But, he was so irresistible.  She couldn't help but respond to him when he touched her, or kissed her. She realized how much she wanted him in that moment.  She wanted him so badly, with her entire being.  To be held and loved, and brought to life in his embrace.  
            Jack stood up and with his back to her, he unbuckled his belt and let his sash unwind, falling down around his ankles.  He shrugged out of his vest and shirt.  Her breath caught in a tiny, shocked gasp as her eyes drunk in the site of him.

He's lean, muscular back was decorated with many long jagged scars, some smooth and thin from a whip; others were largely puckered, as if he'd been struck repeatedly with the cat.  They were all crossed one upon the other.   He also had several tattoos decorating his arms, she noticed the mermaid right away.  But her mind was too preoccupied with the mutilation of his flesh.  

" Jack… what happened to you?"

He glanced at her surprised, and then followed her horror-filled gaze down to glance at his scars over his shoulder. 

" Oh them?" He said with a grimace, and shrugged.  "I spent some years in a Spanish prison."

She shot him a pained look. Jack gave her an incredulous smile.

" They're just scars of me past, love. It's nothing to concern yerself about. I've survived them, haven't I?" 

He turned around and pushed her back down on the bed with a sly smile. " I'll not tolerate pity, savvy?"

She nodded her head in solemn understanding, then let her frown fall away as she became caught up in his intense dark-eyed gaze again.  It was better to leave those scars in the past.  Jack was right.  She gave him a tiny smile and stretched seductively.

"Now," Jack's voice elapsed into a professional, no nonsense tone that made her do a double take.  " As Captain… this is my first order for ye…" 

"Y—yes?"

            He lazily rolled on top of her, nibbling her collarbone teasingly for a moment before looking up again.  Emma regarded him with a mixture of pleasure and curiosity.

            " Aye… I'm going to ravage you to my hearts content." He said pleasantly.  " And, you're going to love every moment of it, savvy?"

            Emma's breath caught in her throat as he slid a hand down to cup her breast, teasing the nipple through the fabric with his thumb.

            " Yes... Captain." She said breathily. And thought luxuriously to herself, as he set into motion, how happy she was to comply with her first assignment on board, _The Black Pearl_.

            Jack smiled slyly down at her.  " Yer getting the idea now." And he bend down and kissed her hungrily.  Emma responded to him with an eagerness that surprised even herself.  Their tongues played across one another hungrily, and Jack teasingly took his mouth away, nibbling at her bottom lip, then trailed his tongue down her chin and kissed her neck all the way down to her smooth, suntanned shoulders.  His hand still rested lightly on her breast.  Emma quivered underneath him with anticipation as he nibbled his way from one shoulder to the other, stopping to sweep his tongue in tiny, teasing circles inside the tiny depression between the smooth ridges of her collarbone. 

            She took a deep breath, her chest heaved under his open palm, and he gave a tiny squeeze of her breast.

            " You're a hot poker, love." Jack said grinning as he looked up from his work.  " I've never had one of those, before…"

            " Hot poker?" She whispered, glancing down at him through the corner of her eye.

            " Aye, very responsive… are ye a virgin by any chance?"

            Emma reddened considerably. " And, so what if I am?"

            Jack pursed his lips thoughtfully, and jerked his head up to regard her seriously.  " It'll hurt. The first time."

            Emma swallowed audibly, then set her jaw and met his gaze with a level stare. " I'm not afraid." 

            Jack's solemnity changed quickly, and he smiled at her.  " I figured you might say that, darling. Don't say I didn't warn ye though, savvy?"

            " Savvy." She replied without hesitation. Then gave a tiny gasp as he dove back down into her plunging neckline.  His tongue tickled over her exposed cleavage.  

            " _Well_," Emma thought with amusement. "_It doesn't take much to convince him." _Then she heard the familiar 'click' of his flip knife, and the next thing she knew, he'd severed the knotted end of the cord holding her bodice in place, and, with a comical seriousness, skillfully pulled out the cords with one sharp tug.  There was a loud ripping noise, and they were quickly pulled free of their holes. The worn black bodice fell away to reveal her thin chemise; it did little to hide the contours of her body, and emphasized the firm roundness of her breasts.  Jack could see the tiny points of her nipples poking up against the fabric, and his eyes sparkled. 

            " Lovely." His voice was silky smooth and made her heart flutter, he leaned in, hooking the plunging neckline of the shirt with one finger, and dove his head down to taste her.  His breath was hot against her sensitive skin. His goatee and moustache, and the thin braids of his beard tickled over her flesh as he worked his kissing caresses.  His hands were rough in contrast with the smoothness of her skin, and she loved the feeling when he touched her with his calloused fingertips.  Time became nonexistent as they rolled about amidst the fading cushions and threadbare sheets, tasting and teasing and caressing.  Emma's mind reeled with the pleasurable sensations as Jack played her body like a finely tuned instrument… and she was more than happy to oblige his exceptional skill.

~*~*~*~

            They lay there quietly, listening to each other's breathing slow to a regular pace.  Jack could hear the contented beating of Emma's heart as he nestled his head between her breasts.  

" Do ye have any clue what's you've done to me, love?" Jack said after a moment.

            Emma stirred and opened her eyes. She ran a hand through his roughened head of hair.

            " What have I done?" She asked softly.

            " Ye've made me into what I never thought I'd be." He said, tracing the contours of one breast with his finger lightly. He stopped at the nipple and circled it with his fingertip, watching the tiny pink bump spring up under his skilled caress.

            " What is that?" She asked as her body responded to his caress with a tiny shiver of delight.

            " A faithful man."

            She gave a short loud laugh.  " You never were before, then?"

            " Honestly," He said.

" That's quite dishonest of you."

" Aye." He agreed. " Your the first woman I've found who can fit me… to me fullness. Quite honestly, I don't think I could find need for any other." 

" Well then, that's good to hear." She said with a smirk and gently stroked along the length of his back, feeling along the unusual roughness and occasional ridges of his skin.  " …Do you know what you've done to me, Captain Sparrow?" She finally said after a short silence.

" Err—besides the obvious?" Jack looked at her dubiously.

Emma laughed. " Well, that too of course.  But I mean in the larger sense."

" What would that be then?" Jack fixed a contemplative look at her.

" You've given me everything I could have ever wished for, beyond all my expectations." She said softly up to the ceiling.  " I've never felt more alive. Or more free… than from the time I set foot on your ship.  So… thank you- Captain."

" Ahh-" Jack grinned at her and shook his head.  " For that, I'll let you call me Jack, love."

Emma smiled and craned her neck to glance at him.  " Jack." 

 He lifted his head to meet her gaze.  She could see he was grinning at her from ear to ear.  The weight of all their adventures had finally been lifted from both their shoulders.  The booty was safely stored in the hold, Emma had her dagger, and her faintly stinging scar… yes… she had everything she wanted.  What she had refrained from telling Jack, was that she also had the life she'd longed for lying on top of her. Filled with anticipation and excitement for the future, she imagined the kinds of adventures, and excitement that would be in store for them. She felt absolutely certain that as long as he was there, she'd feel the fullness of her long desired mortality.

 She stretched again and then glanced down at Jack.  He was giving her a familiar look with a tell-tale twinkle of mischief in his seductive, dark eyes.  His teeth sparkled with a smile as he said, " Care for round two, love?"

- THE END-

(Please leave me your comments!)


	17. Authors Note

Author's Note:

 Hi Everyone!

 Wow- I just have to thank you all for your amazing reviews and support. I can't tell you how much it means to me!  I'm writing this now to alert ye to the fact that I have good news, and bad news about the epilogue I said I might write.

 Okay- bad news is, I'm not writing an epilogue…

 And before I get the flames that I know are coming to me for that, I'll tell ye the good news. I'm going to write a sequel!

 Yes my friends, a sequel!! I finally bent to the general demand... ^^; You all are wayyy too much! Thank you again for your encouragement! (Especially you, Theed—yes… I'm blaming YOU for this…)  

*ah-hem*  It'll have Emma and all our favorite characters in it (plus two new ones).  Of course, Jack Sparrow will come back in full force.  Ummm—It'll also have that special magical element too it that the first one had.  I've just spent the last few days brainstorming a bunch of idea's and finally came up with an outline. I'm pretty excited about it! I have no idea if it'll match up to the caliber of Hell Water, but I'll do my very best to make it enjoyable and exciting to read, I can promise ye that!

Please keep your eye open for the first chapter in the next few days. I'll post up here again when I have it up.


	18. Sequel Alert

*dances a jig*

 HUZZAH! Yes it is DONE! The first chapter to my sequel! Thanks so much to those of you who wrote your encouragement. =D I'm sorry it took me almost a week to get this to you… but you know how it is when real life suddenly gets really busy? Blah—well, I'll try my best to not let it slow me down too much.

 The Sequel is called "The Seal of Cleito," And you'll be able to find it on my bio page, or if you do a quick search in the POTC pages, I'm sure it'll come up. I'm rating it R because I'm sure there'll be some frequent adult moments throughout... But nothing as NC-17 as the last chapter of Hell Water. *nervous laugh* Well… not on ff.net in any case!

 So go, my young grasshoppers… and read! I hope you enjoy! (and REVIEW! *hint hint nudge nudge beat over the head with a stick*


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